A Twist in Tale
by EmilyKayros
Summary: AU. Tedros has finally arrived at the famous School for Good and Evil. But strange things are happening from both sides. And it all started when he locked eyes with the Never reader. Who was this girl and why can't he stopped thinking about her? This is my first fanfic for the SGE book series.
1. Prologue: Dream of Destiny

This is my first fanfic for the SGE series.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not owned the School for Good and Evil series. That belongs to Sir Soman Chainani.

Hope you enjoy~

* * *

 ***~PROLOGUE~***

 _Dressed as any other noble, Tedros was staring at the castle before him._

 _Whispers echoed around him. Other nobles were staring at him in disgust and appalled. Feeling conscious of himself, he quickly moved to the golden doors of the castle._

 _A wonderful music filled his ears as he makes his way to the main hallway. It was a magnificent ball room, glittering with gold tinsel, blue and silver balloons floating around the ceiling, and a large chandelier filled with diamond crystals hanging in the middle._

 _Male and female dancers wearing black and white masks started to dance in sync with the music._

 _Tedros passed by the dancers leading to a line of beautiful princesses. Their faces were masquerade by masks. They greeted him with a curtsy and showered him with compliments to win his favor. They were curious about the rose in his hand and wondered if was meant to be theirs._

 _But not one of them catches his eye._

 _He walks towards a hallway branched off from the main hall. It was filled with paintings of legendary fairy tale prince and princesses, each with it's own luxury silk curtains on the frames. The carpeted floors decorated with golden designs lighted up to the end of the hallway. The golden candle holders in each pillar magically burst into life as he walked down the way, each step echoing loudly._

 _Once there, he spotted a lone maiden on the balcony from afar, basked in the moonlight._ _She wore a midnight blue gown with a blue short laced veil on top of her head. Her black lustrous hair shines and a golden pendant with a green gem clutches in her hand._

 _Tedros felt his heart beating fast and almost call out to her. But stopped as he saw her form shaking as she looks out at the beautiful garden._ _He couldn't tell what she was muttering but she was holding her pendant so tight that her knuckles turned white from the force._

 _Urged by his instincts, he accidentally dropped the rose and makes his way towards her._

 _Suddenly, a flash of lightning appeared out of now where and the night sky turned to an eerie black and green mist. He looked back the way he came from and gaped at what he was seeing._

 _Everything turned into a gloomy shade of gray. The walls were in a horrible decayed condition, cobwebs decorated the ceilings and the light from the candles was no longer the orange hue but turned to a sinister green flame._

 _The once beautiful paintings turn into scenes of horror with torn curtains filled with holes. Some portraits depicts the beheaded princesses and others portray a gruesome death of a prince bath in their own blood. He felt a tight feeling in his stomach._

 _" _no..no … ..NONONONO!"__

 _ _Startled by the scream, Tedros turned his body around and he saw the maiden clutched her head with her pale hands and kneeled down to the floor, screaming. The balcony behind her__ _w_ _here the moon shine so bright a while ago turned into a ghostly shade of darkness._

 _This made Tedros sprinted towards her as his path behind him broken down into glass-like pieces._

 _Tedros ran ferociously but the corridor stretched so long that it was impossible for him to reach her. It was like he is watching her through a glass panel. Panic sets in, He tried to yell at her to get away._

 _But a figure with a staff appeared before him, floating in mid-air. The cloaked man smiled cruelly and brought his staff above his head and slammed it to the floor where Tedros fell down to the dark abyss._

 _Tedros yelled from the top of his lungs angrily at the figure._ _As he falls closer to the bottom which was filled with skulls, he immediately closed his eyes and brace for impact._

 _He could still hear the cloaked man's cruel laughter and the girl's scream in terror echoing in his head and –_

 _ **SPLAT!**_

"Wha-?!" he bolted up from his sleep.

The carriage stopped abruptly.

Tedros was huffing and puffing, with a sweat pouring down his face. He slowly regains his breathing and frantically scanned around. He was in his royal carriage, where three big blue suitcases were stored behind and the concerned-looking coachman was checking on him from a small window.

"Young master, are you alright?!",said the frantic coachman.

"Ah! I'm fine, Simon." Tedros immediately respond, "I just had a bad dream that's all."

"Oh thank goodness. I thought that we were under attack." The coachman resume his control of the horses and the carriage moves again.

Tedros sighed and closed his eyes, breathing in and out the fright that was still his heart.

 _A dream, It was all a dream_ , he thought. And yet it felt so real to him.

This is what he gets for staying up late last night, he couldn't contain his excitement for his first school day.

At first, this doesn't sound like too much fun, but it's actually something to really look forward to. He wanted to start with a clean slate and even completely reinvent himself as the rightful King of Camelot.

Ever since his father's death, he occupied his time with training, studying and practicing sword fights with his fellow knights.

Since he can't be King until the age of sixteen, his father's advisory council will take charge over Camelot while he attends the school. He doesn't trust his advisers at all but Tedros can't just let anyone rule Camelot besides them while he is away.

 _Just you wait. Once I graduate, I will be crowned as King and immediately fired them all if I have to._ He thought with conviction.

"Sir, we have arrived at our destination." Simon said

Tedros look out from the side window, overlooking the green meadows, past the foggy forest and the two soaring castles come into view. One castle shined in the sun mist and the other loomed with darkness.

 _This is it_.

He is ready for any challenges coming from the legendary school for a worthy prince such as himself.

The School for Good and Evil.

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 **Author's Note:** I didn't think that i would be writing this story. This was in my head ever since i read the SGE books few years ago. I hope you liked it so far.


	2. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Sorry for the delay. There were major changes to this chapter. Furthermore, thank you for the reviews, **Spinach Smoothie** and **Guests.**

 **Disclaimer** : I do not owned the School for Good and Evil series. That belongs to Sir Soman Chainani. Enjoy~

* * *

 **~CHAPTER 1: A Surprise Guest~**

As the royal carriage pulled into the entrance of the pristine silver gates, Tedros began to look amazed at the full view of the castles.

A team of three glitter-winged fairies flew through the gates and quickly retrieve the suit cases including one colored in a shade of royal blue with intricate designs etched into the side of it and a lion's crest in the middle. The sudden appearance of the fairies startled Simon a little. The horses snorted loudly thinking that it was funny to see their rider easily spooked.

Impatiently, Tedros steps off from the carriage and swiftly puts away his sword in his scabbard. He wanted to get a closer look at the famed legendary school grounds as the fairies carrying his belongings to the pink and blue glass castle. Looking at the gates closely, each school has it's own swan statue situated in the pillars. The one representing the Good is a white swan while the other represents the Evil is the black swan.

Tedros glanced at his coachman. Simon was nervous a little ever since they grew closer to this place. He only knew the auburn hair man back when he was a kid practicing with a wooden sword while Simon tended the horses at the stables. The two became fast friends when Tedros was learning horse back riding skill with Simon.

"Don't be nervous, Simon. There's nothing to worry about." Tedros said

"M..My apologies, your highness. It's just i'm worried about your safety. Not only does this school trained future heroes like you but also deadly villains," Simon said anxiously.

"You're talking to the future King of Camelot. There's nothing that will scare me. I can defeat any villains any day." Tedros chided.

"R..right, you're absolutely right"

"I am right. Take care of yourself when you get back to Camelot" Tedros smiled at him.

"I sure will. Take care as well, young master" Simon said as he bowed at the prince. Simon pivoted the horse around and headed back to the road to Camelot.

Tedros walked up to the school gates, which opened magically for him. He stepped through while holding his sword close to his left side, making sure that it was still there. To be honest with himself, the excitement of entering this place over shadows his nervousness. Especially this will be his journey to find adventures, long time camaraderie with his classmates and even he might find his true love.

He could see his school of his destiny.

The School for Good has the crystal clear shore as it's front, with the lake surrounding the castle. He sneered at the foul-smelling moat and Tedros was glad that the fog obscured whatever lay on the opposite banks.

From the distance, he could see other boys his age gathered in the field of flowers, waiting for the doors to the Good castle to open. Fairies were circling above him and dived down towards him. They hoisted him up by the shoulders and they flew across the lake towards the Good castle. He could hear the sound of bells ringing as the frosted castle doors opens. When the fairies brought him down, Tedros hurriedly joined with his future classmates as they were herded inside the castle.

There were words arches over the golden gates ahead.

 **THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD ENLIGHTENMENT AND ENCHANTMENT.**

 _The interior wasn't as grand as Camelot's_ , he thought. But it was still spectacular to admire the beauty around them.

Tedros got a better look at the majestic stair room. The wall opposite to him has an enormous pink-painted **E** , with lovingly drawn winged deities fluttering around it's edges. The other three walls had painted letters, spelling out **E-V-E-R** in pink and blue. But what got his attention were the four spiral staircases, arranged symmetrically at the corners of each wall.

Among the four flights, one blue had HONOR on top of the staircase with glass etchings of knights and kings, while the other read VALOR, decorated with hunters and archers designs. The other two staircases were pink in color, along with sketches of sculpted maiden, princesses and friendly woodland creatures.

In the center of the room, alumni portraits were hanged, showcasing the hierarchy of well-known princes and princesses from bottom to the top, reached from the marble floor to the domed sunroof.

Somehow looking at the portraits made him feel queasy. Tedros couldn't forget that daydream he had on his way to the school.

{… _some portraits depicts the beheaded princesses and others portray a gruesome death of a prince bath in their own blood…..}_

Coming out of his stupor, the group came to halt in front of three seven-foot tall nymphs who handed over some items to each student. A parchment paper containing the class schedule, a basket of books, and an EVER boy's uniform.

Placing the parchment inside the basket and holding the uniform in one hand, he heads up with the others to the HONOR staircase, passing through the sea-green halls where the floors were made of jade, and he came upon a room with his name along with other two as his roommates.

 **"WELCOME TEDROS, CHADDICK, NICHOLAS!"**

When he entered the room, Tedros was immediately greeted by a hulky young man. He has to admit, the Ever boy was intimidating at first but the moment he looked at his way, he sports a friendly smile.

"I just wanted to know who my third roommate is. Already met the other one, a little valiant fellow. I'm Chaddick of Foxwood, nice to meet you," said Chaddick, as he hold out his hand to him.

"Tedros of Camelot, likewise," Tedros replied, placing his uniform over his left arm and they both shook in a manly gesture.

Chaddick lightly chuckled, releasing his hand, "Strong grip you got there. Looks like we'll get along just fine. Come on in."

Tedros was impressed with the design of the room.

The room was furnished and bathed in delicate tones, a textured blend of cerulean, silk and satin recreates the allure of a house of nobility. Arching over each bed was a darker shade of blue silk canopy. Unique in-room artwork mural featuring knights fighting valiantly and a prince kneeling before a princess, professing his love.

Depositing his stuff on his bed, he notices someone by his right side. A young brown haired male with dark skin was eyeing them with interest, whom he assumes that it's his other roommate, Nicholas.

"I'm Nicholas by the way." He stood up and approached him and gave a handshake to Tedros.

"Tedros , it's nice meeting you." He returned the handshake with a confident grip.

"I couldn't help but noticing the fancy sword you have there." Nicholas said

"Oh this?" He pulled out sword from his scabbard and showcase it in front of his peers, "This was my father's sword, Excalibur," Tedros said with a hint of pride.

"Excalibur? Wouldn't that mean King Arthur is your father?" Chaddick replied with a raised brow.

"That's right," Tedros said with no hesitation.

Chaddick whistled at the dazzling silver sword with a lion's crest while Nicholas marveled of seeing the real thing.

"King Arthur's son? What an honour! " Nicholas thrilled at the fact someone from a royal line is sleeping in their room.

"You got to have a match with me. I want to test the famous sword with my sword skills," Chaddick teased. Tedros quickly returned Excalibur to its sheath and he smiled at their eagerness.

A commotion clamoured outside the room and their heads swivelled to the door. Chaddick cracked opened the door to check outside.

"It seems that everyone is heading somewhere, the hallway is packed full of our classmates," Chaddick stated

"It's probably the Welcoming assembly, let's change to our uniforms less we get punishment for our tardiness," Tedros said.

Both Chaddick and Nicholas nodded in moved quickly to their beds where their uniforms are. Tedros puts on the jacket with light blue sleeves and stiff collars. The high-cut waistcoat and knotted slim tie, embroidered with a single gold initial _ **T**_ matched perfectly with his Navy boots. They exited the room and joined the others as they make their way to the assembly.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Waiting for the Ever boys at the entrance hall was a male professor. He was wearing a bright colored suit with a slim tie, elegant to the point of intimidation. His hair tied in a low ponytail and his mustache slightly curled in both ends. A colorful kerchief tucked in his pocket, embroidered with a silver swan.

 _This man's entire appearance would put the nobles of Camelot to shame._ Tedros snickered

"Welcome, New Princes, to the School for Good," said the male professor, "I am Professor Rumi Espada, your swordplay and weapons training teacher."

The boys behind him chatter in excitement about weapons training. _Who wouldn't be?_

"Now, if I have your attention please, gentlemen." the entrance hall turned silent except the echoes of bubbly chattering from the Ever Girls and the raspy voices from the disgruntled Nevers inside the Theatre.

"Ahem. Now that you have calm yourselves in a dignify manner, we will begin our welcoming entrance with a show of skills to woo the princess of your dreams." Espada signalled the fairies to distribute the rose to each Ever boy.

"This rose represents your interest on any particular princess who catches your eye. To win a princess' heart, one must show such elegance in skills and…."

Tedros didn't bother listening as he retrieves his rose from a glittered fairy. It's no trouble for him to get any girl but what worried him most was that he won't find the right one for him. He doesn't want to make the same mistake like his father. His mother ran off with knight, which ultimately lead his father to depression and heart broken. No matter how many times his mother said "i love you's" to them but it was all for nothing in the end.

 _Will I be able to find someone who truly loves me more than my looks? More than as King Arthur's son?_

There's no time to think about it now as Professor Espada signals the Ever boys to enter the Theatre.

His princess is somewhere among the Ever girls and he doesn't want to fail his first impression. Tucking the rose inside his shirt, he waited for his cue to move in with the others.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Each school had it's own entrance to the Theater of Tales, which was split into two halves. The west doors opened into the side for the Good students and the east doors opened into the side of Evil students.

Inside the Theatre, fairies and wolves were guarding the aisle between the Good and Evil. On the side of the Evers, decorated with pink and blue pews and glittering bouquets of glass flowers. On the other side, Evil students were sitting in warped wooden benches and deadly cone-shaped spikes dangling from the burnt ceiling, the ones that you see in deep dark caverns.

The Nevers were making a fuss and trying to entertain themselves to passed the time while the Good girls were gossiping, giggling and talking about anything related to beauty and wardrobe.

Suddenly, every Good girl bolt upright as they listened, sounds that grew louder closer to the west door. Sounds that they had waited their whole lives to hear. Clashes of steel could be heard, and the stomp of heavy boots from the hall.

The west doors flew open to sixty gorgeous boys in sword-fight. Sweat glistened on glowing faces as they thrust down the aisle, boys versus boys against the pews. Until the final sword fight climax, as the final chorus of movement they drew roses from their shirts and with a shout of "Milady!" threw them to the girls who most caught their eye especially one Ever girl with a waist-long blonde hair who receives most of them all.

"NEVERS RULE!"

"EVERS STINK!"

From the decayed pews, the Evil students booed at the princes, brandishing banners with hate and their chants grew louder from their seats. Ignoring the insults and the taunts, the princes blew kisses to the villains and prepared to take their seats when the west doors slammed open again and one more walked in.

Tedros waltz in and sports a charming smile at the beautiful princesses. The Ever girls knew that every true princess finds a prince of their own but when a good-looking prince like him came through the doors, they suddenly forget about the others and swooned at his charisma.

However, other princes saw this and grew jealous of Tedros's instant popularity and they rushed at him with their swords. Tedros took one look at the frowning, sword-armed boys and he couldn't help feeling the adrenaline rushing inside him.

He smirked and pulled out Excalibur, the hilt from the sword reflects on his golden hair and blue eyes. Around forty boys came at him once, but he quickly disarmed each with lightning speed, the swords of his classmates piled up beneath him and until the last man standing faced him one on one.

Chaddick grinned as he clashed with his sword to the legendary silver blade. But Tedros quickly disarmed him, knocking him flat to the ground.

Tedros sheathed his own sword and shrugged, as if fighting many armed boys at once wasn't a challenge at all and nothing to boast about. Everyone knew that the Ever side has a King among the princes, not even the villains couldn't find a reason to insult him. The other princes retreated to their seats while Chaddick was left wordless and impressed with his roommate's skill as Tedros offered his hand and lifted him up from the ground.

Scanning around in the Ever side, Tedros was checking to see if one of them was his princess. He didn't get the chance to look because of the eager princes challenging him.

Their faces, some fair, some dark, were flawless and glowed with health. They are all indeed beautiful and lovely but not one of them pulled his heart strings. He sighed in displeasure.

 _Might as well just get over it._

As he was reaching for the rose from his shirt, the girls jumped up from their seats, waving their handkerchiefs, especially the one with long blonde hair carrying 23 roses in her hands whistled sweetly at him. Tedros was about to pulled out the luscious red rose –

When the sound of doors slammed opened.

This got the Ever girls enchanted when they thought that another charming and handsome prince came, the Nevers groaned of another incoming stuck-up, prissy prince and the Ever boys looking at one another in confusion. Tedros knew that they were all accounted for. _Was there another student that they have forgotten?_

But they soon realize that the source came from the Never side, the east doors were wide opened.

Everyone's attention was on the female student escorted by two Wolves besides her.

Her dome of black hair, the hulking black dress she wear, her freakishly pale skin peeked through her torn sleeves and her Ladybug eyes glowering at them all.

The Evers were slightly afraid upon seeing the female Never and whispers among each other saying "A witch appeared", "She looks so evil."

The Nevers, however, reacted differently.

They were awestruck of the new girl's appearance of a true villain and striking fear in the hearts of the Evers. Especially the three witches sitting in the middle pew. The tall girl with a red-skulled demon tattoed in her neck silently nodded in interest along with her other two companions. "Her we like," the albino girl said softly, rats squeaking in agreement underneath her black uniform.

But the one who was mostly dumbfounded was Tedros.

He would have thought that the newcomer was a witch too but he couldn't stop staring at her as she was led by the wolves to her seat, next to a Never who looks like a sinister little weasel.

A familiar dream flashes in his mind.

{… _..She wore a midnight blue gown with a blue short laced veil on top of her head. Her black lustrous hair shines and a golden pendant with a green gem clutches in her hand….}_

He knew that the two didn't match, yet his mind force the two different girls together as a whole image.

He could see the ominous pendant resting on her chest, glowing a powerful neon green color the longer he stares at it.

Tedros shook his head a little, shaking off the pendant's green glow from his mind. He couldn't let himself be bewitched by the newcomer, even if she bears the appearance of the beautiful maiden from his dream.

He spotted Chaddick waving at him somewhere in the middle of the Ever pews. He was about to make his way over but a hand pulled him into a seat. The blonde hair Ever girl looked up at him with a smile showing her sparkling white teeth.

"Hi, I'm Beatrix," she said

"Tedros," he replied vaguely, "of Camelot, Milady"

"Camelot? So you're the famous King Arthur's son? You got me swooned all over you again," she blinked her sparkling topaz eyes at him.

Tedros sighed internally. Another girl who fall easily for his looks and his fame. He regretted not seating with his friends who were talking about training and sword fighting techniques behind him and Beatrix. He gave an apologetic smile to Chaddick behind and his friend just gave him a thumbs up and mouthed the words "no worries".

"What was Camelot like?" Beatrix asked, "I only read about it from a book. I hope one day to visit it with my family and friends and –"

Ignoring her babble, Tedros saw a bouquet of roses on her lap. It reminded him of the rose that was still tucked inside in his inner pocket. He forgot to throw it to the crowd of Ever girls when the newcomer came. _I'm glad that no one notices it_. He thought with a sigh of relief.

 _Maybe I can give the rose to Beatrix instead. She may be a little annoying_ and chatting as if he were listening, but he admits that she was the most enchanted beauty out of all the girls. Reaching inside his jacket and felt the long stem of the rose. But he hesitates. Something is probing his mind not to give it away.

 _Perhaps, I will hold on to it. Waiting for the right moment to give the rose to her._ He tucked it back further in his jacket, minding not to let it be squashed under the pressure.

Both the Ever and Never students were settled in their respective seats, chattering away about other things. Some of the Nevers were pulling pranks to their fellow classmates while the Evers were fixing up their appearances and slightly sneered at the other side.

 **TOO-TOO-TOO-TOO-TOOM!**

The sound of trumpets startled the students. The source was coming from the curtain covered stage. The grand red velvet curtains with decorated gold laces at the bottom were slowly pulled back to the sides. Appeared on the silver stone stage was a two headed dog figure standing in the middle.

"Welcome to the School for Good and Evil! I'm Pollux, the Welcoming Leader."

"AND I'M CASTOR, WELCOMING LEADER ASSISTANT AND EXECUTIVE EXECUTIONER OF PUNISHMENT FOR ANYONE WHO BREAKS RULES OR ACTS LIKE A DONKEY!"

Most of the Ever students were afraid of the rabid one called Castor, even the Never side were also the same.

"Thank you, Castor," said the other dog head, "So let me first remind you why you are all here. All children are born with either Good or Evil souls within them. Some souls are purer than others, but all souls are fundamentally Good or Evil. Those who are Evil cannot make their souls Good, same goes to the other side."

"SO JUST BECAUSE GOOD IS WINNING EVERYTHING DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SWITCH SIDES!" Castor barked loudly.

"EVERS! EVERS!" The Good students cheered from their flowery pews

"NEVERS! NEVERS!" The Evil students retorted with the cheer of their own.

They were quickly silenced by the wolves and fairies by throwing buckets of water at the Evers while the Nevers got a doused of rainbows. Tedros was glad that he was not in the area where the Evers were splashed by the water. It would ruin his hair and his clothes.

"Ahem, once again," Pollux said, "you may feel like you are either in the Good or Evil because of your family line has branches where your true side was mixed but fear not. Here at the School for Good and Evil, we will help you clear that confusion, we will try to make you as pure as possible – "

"AND IF YOU FAIL, THEN SOMETHING REALLY BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU NOT THAT I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT IT, BUT IT INVOLVES YOU NEVER BEING SEEN AGAIN!"

"One more and it's the muzzle with you!" Pollux scolded his brother. Castor stared down at his toes with his ears folded backwards.

While Pollux was discussing something else, Tedros gazed across the sea of future villains on the opposite side of the aisle. He saw the black hair girl crossing her arms, fixing her glare at the stage while listening to Pollux and Castor's drabbles. She was tapping her finger fervently on her left arm impatiently while her brows puckered in a frown.

 _I wonder what she is thinking about…_

"Who are you staring at?"

Startled, Tedros turned his attention to Beatrix beside him.

"Ah. It's nothing," Tedros replied.

Beatrix looked over at the Never side and wrinkled her brows together in confusion.

"That witch? What's so interesting about her?" Beatrix looked at him. But Tedros didn't answered.

"Now as I was saying," said Pollux, "Every class, we bring two Readers here from the Woods Beyond."

Somehow, Tedros was fixated on the word "Readers" while ignoring the questioning glare from Beatrix. He had heard of Readers before. They were always mentioned in one of his lectures back in Camelot.

"They know our world from story books, but they know the rules just as well as you," Pollux smiled at the students.

"They have the same potential for glory, the talents and goals. And they too have been some of our finest students," Pollux said proudly.

"If there are readers here, how come we don't have one?" said a short haired Ever girl from the back.

Students from both sides murmured. Tedros wondered also as he scanned around the Ever side. The black hair girl from the Never side looks different than anyone else and not a reader like her from their side.

"Unfortunately, the School Master has only brought one for this year." said Pollux

"Maybe that reader chickened out because of Good's reputation for being obnoxious!" yelled the impish Never boy.

"What did you say?!" a burly Ever boy stood from his seat.

"Calm down! Do not question the School Master's decisions," Pollux yelled. "All of you _will_ respect each other, even if you are from the Good or Evil, whether you're from a fairy tale family or not, a royalty or a reader. You are all chosen to protect the balance between Good and Evil. If ever the balance is compromised…..Our world will _perish_." Pollux's face darkened.

A hush fell over the Good and the Evil students, even the wolves and the fairies were stiffed from what Pollux's said. But Castor raised his paw despite the heavy tense air in the hall.

Pollux groaned, "What is it?"

"Why doesn't Evil win anymore?"

This made Pollux want to bite his other half's head but it was too late. Chaos erupted in the Never side as they started rumbling.

"Yeah, if we're so balanced," yelled the weasel-like Never boy," why do we always _die_?"

"The Good always have better weapons than us!"

"Our Nemesis always have back up from their side!"

A Never girl stood from her decayed seat. "Evil hasn't won in _two hundred years_!"

Even Castor joined in the chaos, "GOOD IS CHEATING!" Pollux quickly smacked Castor's head.

All the Never students leaped up in mutiny, hurling anything at the horrified Evers.

Tedros ducked down from the incoming shoe that landed on Beatrix's face. She screeched in horror from the smelly shoe. He would have laughed at her reaction but he was focusing on not getting hit by whatever is coming to him.

He could see Chaddick and other Ever boys used their swords to deflect while the Ever girls take cover under the pews.

Tedros used this chance to take a look out for smelly socks and rotten food until he laid his eyes on the Never Reader.

Amidst all the Chaos around her, she stayed put on where she sat. She even push down the weasel Never when he stand too close for her liking. Sensing that someone was staring at her, she glance at his way and her ladybug eyes widen a bit. And so was he.

They feel some sort of a connection between them like a static of electricity filled their bodies. But she was the first to recoil in shock and scoffed at him, looking at the stage instead where Pollux was yelling angrily at Castor.

 _What was that all about?_ Tedros questioned in his mind as he dodged a rotten food in his way.

"The School Master is on their side!"

"We don't have a chance!"

The Nevers rallied together and fought past the fairies and wolves, who were trying to control the situation but failed miserably. They were about to charge over to the Ever's side –

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The Evil students looked up at Pollux dumbly.

"Now sit down before I give you all a slap!" Pollux shrieked while fuming in anger.

They scrambled to their seats and sat without argument.

Pollux scowled down at them like scolded children. "Maybe because you're idiotic apes! If you stopped complaining, you'd produce someone of consequence! But all we hear are excuses after excuses."

The villains lowered their heads in shame except for the Never Reader.

"Students," Pollux said softly, "all of you have only one concern here. Do the best work you can. The finest of you will become princes and princesses, warlocks, knights, and witches, queens and sorcerer's – "

"OR TURNED INTO MORGRIFS IF YOU STINK!" Castor spat and Pollux glowered at his brother to silence him.

Students glances at each other across the aisle, sensing the high stakes.

"So if there are no questions or interruptions, let's review the rules."

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Pollux droned on and on about the rules, lulling half the students to sleep while ignoring the groans and grumbles from the Never side.

Tedros look thoughtfully on what had transpired a while ago. He can still feel the static the moment their eyes met. He thought that he could take down anything from any forces of Evil but this Never girl was different. The feeling was strange but oddly blissful.

 _What on earth are you talking about? She's a Never and you're an Ever. It's impossible_. His mind argued. He lightly slap his cheek a little, receiving a confused look from Beatrix.

"Your swan crest will be visible at all times. Any attempt to conceal or remove it will result in injury or embarrassment, so please refrain."

To set his mind off about the incident, Tedros watched everyone in the hall trying to cover their silver swan crests. It instantly vanished off from their uniforms and reappeared again once it is not covered anymore like magic. He looked at the glittering swan crest stitched on his blue jacket.

"Furthermore, since the Theater of Tales is in Good this year, Nevers will be escorted here for all joint school activities. Otherwise, you will remain in your schools at all times," said Pollux.

A Never brown-haired girl raised her hand, which was covered with bits of chocolate.

"Why is the Theater in Good?"

Pollux raised his head, nose in the air, "Whoever is the winner of the Circus of Talents, the Theater will be part of _their_ school."

"Good hasn't lost a Circus or Trial by Tale or _any_ competition at this school for _two hundred years_." Castor muttered angrily.

"It is true. Good has always been in the limelight." said a Never with oily skin on his face.

 _Wasn't that always the case?_ _Good will always prevail in the end obviously_. Tedros thought. He can't imagine losing to the Evil. It will bring shame and dishonor to his family if it happens.

"Now curfew will occur at precisely – "

"How does one become a Class Captain?" It was the Never girl with the red devil tattoo on her neck who asked the question.

"Fine, if all of you flunk your curfew inspections, don't blame me!" Pollux groaned from another interruption, "After the Trial by Tale, the top ranked student in each school will receive privileges and the title of Class Captain. They can get to meet renowned heroes and villains. As all of you know, most of the greatest legends in the endless woods were Captains in this school."

Evers and Nevers buzzed around the topic of Class Captain and the chance to meet their favorite legendary heroes and villains.

"I bet you girls that it's going to be Tedros who will be our Class Captain, don't you think?" Beatrix whispered to other Ever girls.

They nodded in agreement with her.

"He's the perfect prince," said the arabic princess with jet black hair. They sighed in a dreamy state.

Tedros was used to girls complementing him. All the time. It really does annoy him and yet he gives them a smile and they were blushing red, one almost fainted from her seat. His mother was right. He was the same as his father.

"Right, that's all for now." Said Castor. "Breakfast and supper will take place in your school supper halls, but we will gather together at lunch time in the Clearing. That is if you're _mature_ enough to handle this privilege." Castor grunted.

The students were about to get up from their seats.

"Ah! Wait just a moment, everyone." Pollux said

They looked up at him.

"I forgot to mention that the Endless Woods beyond the school gates are barred for first-year students. For a special reason might I add. And though that rule may fall on deaf ears for those who are adventurous among you, let me remind you of the most important rule of all. Disobey it will cost you your lives. _Never go into the Woods after dark_ ," Pollux said gravely

The students felt their heart race for a moment.

Pollux returned his cuddly smile at them, "You may return to your schools! Supper is at seven o'clock sharp!"

As Tedros rose with the Evers, he saw the Never Reader was escorted by a wolf to another route through the east doors instead of joining with her other Never classmates.

He couldn't help the feeling the connection between them was fading away the further she went in the deep halls of Evil. He almost took a step forward to the Never side but a hand landed on his shoulder shook him out from his stupor.

"Hey, Tedros. Come on. We still need to get ready for classes," Chaddick said.

"Ah! Of course," Tedros answered quickly.

Chaddick and Nicholas were beside him, dragging him along with the other Evers. Beatrix flew a flying kiss when they passed by her and her friends.

Tedros glance once more where the Never girl went but the Evill halls were empty, no sign of any Evil students lingering around and the grand west doors to the Good slammed shut behind them, echoing loudly in the Theater of Tales.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Between the two sides of the bay, lay a soaring silver tower in the middle. Standing near the single window was a tall dark figure, looking down at the school grounds. The silhouette entered deeper in the room and with a snap of his wrinkly fingers, a crystal ball appeared in front of him. It revealed to him an image of a black hair girl wearing the green pendant around her pale neck.

His face was covered by silver mask, revealing a mischievous smile as he watched her entered the Head of the school for Evil room.

Beside him, a pen made of steel with sharp points in both ends was floating in mid-air above an opened book on the stone tablet stand. It dived down towards the book and scribbled more words on the blank page.

"… _As the door closes behind her, Agatha wasn't aware that her story has begun and it all started the moment she locked eyes with the Ever prince on the other side. Can a Never be with an Ever? T'was a twist in tale indeed."_

~SGE~End of Chapter~SGE~

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have decided to merge chapters together to make it longer. There's no changes to the plot line so without further a due, enjoy!


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer** : I do not owned the School for Good and Evil series. That belongs to Sir Soman Chainani. Enjoy~

* * *

 **~CHAPTER 2: Journey To Know You~**

* * *

Agatha couldn't think of another reason to hate this school. The eerie atmosphere of the tunnels, the rotten smell of fish gathered in the foyer and the inky tar moat really fits to her liking. Even the other students on the Never side were so much like her in a way. She loves it here.

But for some reason, it felt like her soul disagrees with her. Dare she say that it doesn't want to be withing the Evil walls. She was told that someone like her was destined to be part of the School for Evil. But was she really meant to be a villain?

She blamed the doubtful thoughts on that arrogant-looking boy from the Theater. If it wasn't for his creepy staring and that weird vibe overwhelming her body, Agatha wouldn't have any of these hesitation. Even the mention of him made her gag a little. At least she found something to hate after all.

Holding her eel-slimed books and schedule parchment tightly, Agatha followed the wolf guard in front of her, leading to her classroom.

She was supposed to meet with her roommates but the long argument she had with the Head irritated her and missed the chance to rest in the dorms. She was tired and angry. Agatha toyed with the pendant and it soothes her a little.

 _What was her name again? Lasso? Lesley? Whatever._

The Head of Evil threatened her if she ever misses the important protocols of the school, she will send her to the Doom Room. Agatha remembered that term from the cuddly looking dog called Pollux while lecturing about Groom Rooms and the Doom Room. But she didn't bother to listen further.

It sounds like a big deal because the mention of the name made the wolf beside her quiver in fear. She still have questions that needed to be answered. Why is she enrolled in a this school? What made the School master choose her? And How come she was the only Reader for this batch?

The only one who seems to know the answers was the white haired boy she met at the forest.

 _~Flash back~_

Waking up from the cold dark unconsciousness, Agatha felt her body aching all over. She wiggled her hands, feeling the muddy earthy soil and small branches underneath her body. She slowly regain enough energy to lift herself up in a sitting position. Headache started to form as she massages her temples a little.

"Ughh…what happened?" Agatha said while rubbing out some crusts from her eyes.

Images of pink and shiny hair flashes in her mind. She paused for a moment

 _Was that a person? No it can't be. It must be a hallucination._

But she recalled chasing after someone and after that, nothing came into her mind.

Alone and confused, she slowly stood on her feet. But Agatha immediately sat down when waves of pain spread around her left leg. She gritted her teeth and looked down from her black tattered coat to her scraped knee. A nasty gash formed around her left knee and sending little jolts of pain throughout her body.

 _It needs to be treated fast._ Agatha thought urgently

Looking around the dark forest, the trees were decaying brown in color. The rays of light passes through the leaves making the whole forest looks more sinister. The air was stuffy enough to choke her out of breath. She had a feeling that the trees were staring at her in silence. A gust of wind flung some leaves through her black hair and the sound of an unrecognizable bird chirped across the forest.

It was a hair- raising place.

A bush nearby rustled and she froze. Agatha got her right dark clump shoe and holding up over her head, preparing to strike at anything coming from the bush. The rustling sounds continued for a while, her heart was racing in increasing speed. Suddenly, a brown haired rabbit bursts out from the bush and scampered away to the deeper part of the forest.

Agatha sighed in relief and lowered her weapon.

"That almost scared me. I thought it was something else like a monster or something." Agatha muttered to herself.

"You better be careful what you wish for, little lady."

Agatha screamed in fright, closed her eyes and flung her shoe towards the source of the voice. A loud thud was heard and she heard someone chuckled. Cautiously, Agatha slowly opened her eyes to see a young teen stepping out to the lighted area of the forest.

He had white hair, paled white skin and twinkling blue eyes looking at her in amusement. He wore a white v-neck undershirt with a blue vest and darker blue trousers. He also wore a blue poncho over his shoulders. The beautiful stranger was holding her clump shoe.

"Was that really necessary?" he said with a haughty smirk.

Her mind thought of the mysterious figure as some kind of a vampire. _But that's ridiculous. Vampires can't walk in the sunlight._

Agatha glared at him.

"What do you want from me?" Agatha asked

"Oh, I'm just here to pick someone up. I can't let them be late for their first day of school." He said coolly as he casually approached her.

She panicked. The teen before her was a total stranger. She needs the diversion. _Keep asking questions._

"School? What school?" Agatha asked frantically while backing away from the white haired teen.

"The School that you'll be attending soon if we can get there fast enough."

"But i don't remember applying to any schools. A..and what kind of a school that lives in the middle of now where?"

 _Think, Agatha. Think ._ He was moving in closer and closer.

"But first, let me take care of this wound." He knelt down beside her and grabbed hold on her injured left knee.

"Now wait just a minute– "

Agatha prepared herself to punch the boy in the face when she witness a miracle in front of her. The young teen let out a blue misty breath over her injury and it rapidly healed itself.

"What? How?" Agatha touched the area of her completely healed knee.

"Magic." He stated obviously.

"Magic?" She said slowly, questioning his sanity, "Like I would believe any of that."

The boy chuckled, "if you say so."

The stranger was kind enough to put back her clump shoe to where it belongs.

"And I believe this belongs to you." He reached in to his pocket and brought out a necklace.

She looked at it confused.

"But that's not mine."

"I found it nearby where you were lying beside that tall dark tree."

He plopped the beautiful jewelry in her open palms and Agatha admired it up close. The black dori necklace adorned with gold frame and a smooth emerald pendant that shimmered a green faint glow. She wondered if this belongs to her. If he is telling the truth at all. She still doesn't trust him.

She guided the necklace around her neck. The metal was cold against her warm skin and she was about to pull her black collar over it but the boy stopped her hands, feeling his cold touch and letting the pendant dangling outside of her black coat.

"Wouldn't it be better to let it be seen not hidden? You look more enchanting with it." He said smoothly

Agatha's neck flushed red from his comment.

 _There's no way a handsome boy like him to flatter me. This has got to be a dream or a very strange nightmare._

The howl of a beast and the screeches from dying birds echoed throughout the forest. The boy glanced at their direction and nodded his head.

"That's the signal. Come on, or you'll be late for your school's assembly. It's faster if we fly over the forest."

"Wait! What? Fly? What do you mean by that – "

With no time to waste, he swiftly carried Agatha in a bridal style and took off to the sky. Agatha clutched on the blue robes and her eyes shut tight during the flight. She swallowed the scream until they reach the blue cloudy sky.

Then all was silence.

"Don't be afraid." he whispered in her ear "Take a look around".

Agatha reluctantly opened her eyes to rays of sunlight as she looked down and gasped in awe.

Far beneath them, two enchanted castles appeared before her very eyes. One castle glittered in sun mist while the other loomed in darkness. The white haired teen drifted them over the towers of Evil that rose like a winged demon and landed on the dead grassy field where the black sludge moat was nearby.

He gently let her down as she wondered around the hellish darkness of the school. The moment she stepped foot in the Evil grounds, she had the feeling this is where she belonged. The tower gates were made of black vipers that darted and hissed in their way.

"This.. this is my school?" Agatha muttered.

"Yes, indeed. This place is where all famous villains graduated from." he said, admiring the gloomy dark castle.

"Famous Villains?" she asked

"Well. I have to get back to my work now. You have only a few minutes before the school's assembly starts," he was about to fly off when Agatha grabbed his blue sleeves.

"Wait! I want to know why I'm chosen to be here and who exactly are you?"

He simply grinned at her.

"You will know more once you get in the school and don't worry, we will be seeing each other again."

The white haired teen flew up and disappeared through the foggy mist. Agatha squinted at his direction and couldn't find the boy in the sky anymore. She then heard the doors opened and two wolf guards, dressed in bloodred soldier jackets and black leather breeches, exited and surrounded her.

"YOU ARE LATE! "

"The Head will see you once the welcome ceremony ends!"

They seized her arms and ushered her through the castle doors. They entered a long serrated tunnel shaped like a crocodile snout. Agatha felt chills as the tunnel grew narrower until she can barely see herself.

Until she finally saw a rickety old gate arch.

There were rusted words on top of the arch, held between by two carved black swans.

 **THE SCHOOL FOR EVIL EDIFICATION AND PROPAGATION OF SIN**

She passed by demonic gargoyles from stone rafters, lit bright orange torches in their jaws. Along the wall, a column had an enormous black letter _**N**_ , decorated with wicked –faced creatures. There was a blood red _**E**_ on the next column, with swinging giants and goblins on the side. Continuing her path, she could spelled it out as _**N-E-V-E-R**_ and the wolves were leading her to a hallway full of cracked walls and dark gloomy high ceilings.

Three black crooked staircases, carved with monsters and etchings of spiders, twisted up in a perfect row. One leads to a banister titled **MALICE** , **MISCHIEF** and **VICE** with snakes as it's frame. Around the anteroom, Agatha noticed the walls were covered with portraits. Each portrait shows a child besides the storybook painting of the student after graduation.

What caught her attention was a decayed bronze frame near the bottom.

The boy's terrified face made her stomach churned. But the face seems familiar to her. Something to do with him biting girls in a small village but her memories were still foggy.

She turned to the gray wolf, "Hey! Do you have any idea on what happened to him?"

The wolf growled and dust off some cob webs off from the rusted plaque below the portrait.

Agatha gulped. it revealed the word **FAILED**. She figured what's the meaning of failure and she doesn't want to meet the same fate as him.

Up ahead, Agatha could see two grand gold framed doors with intricate designs depicting the wickedness and cruelty of Evil.

The wolves weren't so kind to her when they shoved her through the grand doors that opens to a field of students like her and she glowers on the other side of the Theater for being too glittery and bright.

Whispers were heard among the pews as she was escorted to seat next to a fellow student. During the assembly, she thought of what happened to her that she ended up in the forest, alone.

She will get her answers one way or the other.

~End of Flash Black~

That's how she got in this place. She wasn't sure anymore if she was meant to be part of this world. The mysterious boy told her that they will see each other soon but she wanted him now so that she can pummel him down for answers.

"Wait t'll I get my hands him." Agatha grumbled

The wolf growled at her for muttering so loud and she went silent.

For now, she will plan to find a way to see him again while attending her classes. Maybe the lessons she will learn will aid her in her quest to find the boy and found out more about how she woken up in a dark forest and at the same time, to venture around the mysteries of the school. The wolf guard opened the old creaky door to a haunted classroom and she entered the darkness with determination.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

The official classes starts at nine o'clock. The Ever boys have enough time to polish their swords, fixing themselves to look presentable in front of the Ever girls and some unfortunates ones were trying to remove the mess from their hair and clothes from the brawl that happened at the Theater.

Tedros, on the other hand, walking along the emerald hallway with Nicholas and Chaddick. They were headed towards the gingerbread classroom early for their first class. They were lucky that their looks and clothes were still kept clean and looking fresh.

However, the class that they will soon attend bothered Tedros a little. The moment he saw the word "Chivalry" from his class parchment schedule, the hole within his heart grew dull. Because it relates to a certain knight, who taught him everything from the practicing with the swords to learning fighting skills.

The journey to the classroom suddenly felt heavy and tense. He contemplates while walking a little behind his friends.

Chaddick was the first one to notice his little retreat.

"Hey, Tedros. You okay there buddy?"

Tedros just gave an assuring smile. "I'm alright. Just feeling tired, that's all."

They entered the classroom and seated together in a row while waiting for the professor. Other Ever boys slowly came in the room, filling the sugar frosted seats and the room became livelier. After a certain amount of time, a fairy came in with a two books and a professor steps in.

Professor Aleksander Lukas, with a sleek brown hair and dressed in a maroon dinner jacket with gold buttons and black breeches, entered the blue taffy candied classroom and not a moment too soon, started the first lesson of Chivalry.

"Chivalry was a gospel, a time-tested code of conduct for men passed down from generation to generation. Where young men knows how to open doors for their dates and escorts them to their seats. Where men used their strength to help others and protect those who are defenceless. Unfortunately." Professor Lukas sighed.

The professor looked at each Ever Boy in the room.

"As time passed by, Chivalry is slowly fading. Men became a poor excuse of a Neanderthal, they lost focus on what is important and there's a little courtesy in courtship anymore. Luckily, there are at least few men out there who remember what it means to be a gentleman."

He brought out a book titled " _How to be a gentleman_ ".

"The first step is to defend her honor. Part of being chivalrous is proving yourself to your partner that you can protect her, that you'll stand up for her and her interests." Professor Lukas said. He showed the class an image of a knight protecting the princess from a fire breathing dragon.

Tedros finds it unfair. What about the boys? Don't their interests and feelings matter at all?

"And no," Professor Lukas quickly responded, "this does not give you the reason to punch anyone."

The Ever boys snickered.

"Now if you kindly please proceed to your _"Acts of a Gentleman"_ book in page 40."

The boys scrambled for their stuff and took out a heavy embroidered in gold book on top of their candied desks. While the lesson goes on, Tedros randomly drawn on an empty piece of parchment paper with a quil feather out of boredom.

His head was full of thoughts about the school, his parent's history, the Camelot's well fare and mostly thinking about the Never Reader.

Time passed by and they were all preparing for lunch at the Clearing. Where both sides meets, Evers and Nevers in a single area.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Lunch took place in the Clearing, a field outside the Blue Forest gates. To get there, students has to journey to the tunnels of trees going through the hollowed trunk onto a field of emerald grass. As soon as both Tedros and Agatha came through from their respective tunnels, they followed the line of their fellow classmates.

For the Ever side, they received a picnic basket from the red hooded nymphs while the Nevers grabbed pails of gruel from the red suited wolves.

Agatha thought on what's the point on having this joint activity when the Evers and Nevers stayed on their sides. They both ignored the other, minding their own businesses. She found an area with little shade from the tree and quickly claimed it as her own personal area. She let her mind wondered about her first two classes while playing the gruel with a bone she found inside.

Agatha ranked first both in Uglification and Henchman Training.

Professor Manley with the squashed colored skin and wearing dark maroon robes, commended her for brewing the tadpole mixture with other ingredients efficiently and produces multiple warts dawn on her face.

It was like someone just whispered her the perfect recipe on making it. She unconsciously touched the pendant.

But the other class disturbed her.

Henchman Training was led by Castor. She preferred the other one dog creature. Because when someone made the tiniest mistake, Castor would chewed them out with harsh words. They had performed an exercise on how to get the Golden Goose to lay an egg for them. By using Castor's five strategies of COMMAND, TAUNT, TRICK, BRIBE and BULLY.

Others have tried but it was the Weasel boy who got the egg first, then the devil tattoed girl, the albino student and so on.

But when it came to her turn, the Goose simply looked up at her after it laughs at the ridiculous failures from her other classmates. The Goose glanced at her. Agatha found it unnerving when it just sat still like a statue, studying every inch of her. She felt the eerie chill as if she let in a foreign feeling into her soul.

When its pearly blue eyes squinted at her, staring at her heart, it quacks loudly like it was being strangled and it began to shrivel to grey feathers.

She was shocked and so was everyone in the room.

The praises she received, the jealousy glares, some feared her and the soulless eyes from the Goose were too much for her. She was glad that Castor ended the class early as she was first to rushed out from there.

Her eyes wondered to the sky, thinking of other ways to find the answers on what is really going on. She spotted three Never girls approaching her. Agatha recognizes one of them, the girl with the tattoed devil on her neck.

On the other side of the Clearing, Tedros sat with his friends while enjoying their smoked trout sandwhiches while a group of Ever girls admired him from afar. He glanced on the Never side, seeing the Never reader was surrounded by some Evil students.

Sitting up straight behind the tree, Tedros leaned towards the side and listened to their conversation.

"Hi! I'm Dot," said the smiling brown haired girl.

"This is Anadil," Dot said, pointing at the albino girl with deathly white hair.

"And this is Hester." The tattoed girl steps closer to the Reader, flaring her intimidating scarlet red eyes.

Tedros reached his hilt unconsciously, not liking where this is going. He realizes on what he's doing and slowly releases the hilt of his sword. _What on earth am I doing?_

Hester crossed her arms and looked at Agatha from head to toe.

"The talent that you pulled," Hester said," I'll admit that was pretty cool, for someone coming from the Reader woods."

"Umm..Thanks?" the Never Reader said vaguely.

"However, I'm still aiming for the Class Captain position. And that makes you my number one rival. Hester' eyes blazing, as if she found her competition.

"Yeah not interested with the whole Captain Title thing," the Never reader responded, "The name's Agatha by the way."

Hester fumed at her response.

 _Agatha. So that's her name._ Tedros thought.

"AND I'M HORT!"

A head popped out from the tree where Agatha and the others were. Tedros recognizes him as the Weasel Never student, who sat beside Agatha during the assembly.

Hort struggled to get off from the branches but it snapped and he fell face first to the ground with a loud thud. But he stood up immediately, not minding the slight pain and smiled sheepishly at the girls.

"Were you…eavesdropping on us?" Agatha asked

"Why you little weasel…" Hester directed her anger at the boy. She was about to strangle him but both Anadil and Dot hold her back, locking their friend's arms in place.

"Whoah. Whoah Whoah! Chillax." Hort raised his hands, showing that he meant no harm. "I just want to also learn about my friend here too."

"Since when are we friends?" Agatha questioned.

Hort scratched his black spikey head, "I don't know. I just have the feeling that we can get along."

Hester got her arms free from Dot and Anadil. "Then why are you up there spying us from the tree?" Hester demanded.

Hort made a face of horror, "Oh yeah…I forgot about that..."

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Tedros spotted an oily skinned Never student stomping loudly towards Agatha's group.

"Ravan?" Anadil asked "What's wrong?"

"How dare you steal some of my gruel!" Ravan stared threateningly at Hort. The poor weasel boy jumped in fright and made a run for it.

"It's was nice meeting you ladies but I GOTTA GO!"

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!"

Ravan chased Hort around the Never side and running through the azure colored bushes of the Blue forest. The wolves and fairies on guard reacted quickly chasing after them.

Agatha hoped that Hort was alright. She may not know the boy well but hopefully they will get the chance to know each other if he can escaped from his tormentor.

Tedros snorted at the ridiculous display and let his thoughts run through his mind while relaxing at the cool shade from the tree.

He couldn't stopped thinking about the reader since the moment their eyes met. Even though he still ranks first in Chivalry and Grooming class, his mind was filled with her images. Was this how having a crush feels like? But it can't be. How can he have a strange liking to someone from the Never side?

If his father ever knew this, he'll be rolling in his grave muttering about his foolish son. Chaddick elbowed him lightly, not aware that Tedros was lost in thought.

"Tedros, check this out."

Coming out from his day dream, Tedros glanced at where his friend was pointing and he saw the Everboys trespassing into the Evergirls territory while taking the chance of the guard's absence.

The Ever girls were waiting like flowers to be picked, only to see Beatrix attract the most. Tedros felt the weight of the rose inside his jacket grew heavily. He fidgeted a little at the base of the tree, still unsure about giving the rose to Beatrix.

Beatrix looks at his way and made a move towards him, leaving a flock of suitors downhearted knowing that their chances to win her heart was impossible because she wanted Tedros.

"Tsk. Check this sickening scene. It's disgusting." Hester frowned.

Anadil, Dot and Agatha peered at the Ever side, seeing an Ever girl walking to the golden haired Ever boy.

 _It's that boy again._ Agatha thought.

Something stirred within her. Something is telling her to cast some nasty spells on them and wished the Ever girl gone from her sight. She blinked her eyes for a moment. Where did that came from? Since when does she care about the boy who made her question herself?

"I don't know why people think princesses are pretty," Hester said.

"Their hair, too long. Tempting to pull them out," Anadil spoke impassively.

"Those phony smiles."

"Obsession with pink."

"The ridiculous amount of wardrobe."

"Talking about boys and always dreaming of their happy ending."

"That sounds nice." Dot said calmly.

Hester and Anadil stared at their round friend, questioning her sanity.

Agatha wasn't listening.

Her eyes were trained on the couple across the Clearing.

Tedros wanted to make sure that he made the right choice when he reached in his jacket. He could hear the Ever girls gasped when he pulled out a rose. The look on Beatrix's face lit up with happiness. The rose stem was almost in her grasp when…

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Hort burst through the Ever flower bushes. He ran past between Tedros and Beatrix while Ravan, the wolves and the fairies were hot on his trail.

The rose from Tedros' hand flew up in the air and the entire Clearing was in utter chaos as every Ever girl including Beatrix pushing each other to grab the rose. In the middle of the crowding Ever girls, Tedros got a glimpsed of the rose, it flew over on the Never side especially on the lap of a certain Reader.

Agatha looked down and gaped at the offending object. Suddenly she heard a stampede heading to her direction as she looked up and saw Ever girls charging at her.

"She got the rose!"

"Get her!"

 _Are they that crazy just for a stupid piece of flower?._ Agatha thought

Dot immediately grabbed Agatha by the arm and hid behind the tree. The Nevers saw the incoming Ever girls.

"Hey ! Get back to where you belong!"

"STINKY TRESSPASSERS!"

They retaliated the approaching Ever girls by throwing mud on their faces and clothes. Seeing the Ever girls being pelted with mud by the Nevers, the Ever boys rushed in the fray, drew their dulled swords and dive-bombed in the rumble.

Hester shot out her foot to trip a random Ever while Anadil unleash some of her rats gaining some screams of fright from a handful of Ever girls.

Hort tried to navigate around the clash of blue, pink and black. He looked behind and saw Ravan trying to get through but an Ever boy blocks his way and they engaged in a fist fight. Not seeing where he was going, he slammed onto a wall of dark blue fur.

"Ouch! Watch where you going, you…" Hort stopped midway and paled.

Castor was seething at the sight, rabid foams at the corner of his canine mouth. Hort fell to the ground and scurried away from the hulking form of Castor.

Then a feminine voice ranged out across the Clearing.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!"

The fight soon stopped and the dust clouds gave way to Nevers and Evers pausing their actions.

A woman in a high necked lavender dress with a grandmotherly beehive of white hair, luminous skin and brown eyes was the one who call off the scuffle between the students. Beside her, a woman in purple had her black hair yanked in a long braid, bloodless skin and amethyst eyes showing her disappointment on everyone in the Clearing.

"It's only the first day and what do I see? A field of immature brats!" said the woman in purple.

"Now now, Lady Lesso, I'm sure there's some explanation to all of this." said the other.

"Hmmph. I hope so, Clarissa." said Lady Lesso

Clarissa scanned around the scenery, seeing the students with dirt all over on their clothes.

"All of you are in a need of a serious time out. Report to your dorms and reflect on what you have done here. You are not to leave your rooms until further notice. But the Surviving Fairy Tales classes will still go on later in the afternoon. Dismissed!" said Clarissa.

"SHOW'S OVER, MAGGOTS! GET BACK TO YOUR DORMS! LUNCH IS OVER!" Castor finally spoke while shoving some Nevers back to the Evil tunnel of trees. Students went back in line going to their respective schools.

Tedros was glad that it's over and he went back through the tunnels with his fellow Evers. He glanced at the retreating form of Agatha. The dread feeling inside him finally left and a calm feeling took over. _Was it the right choice?_

Meanwhile, Agatha slumped with the line into the Evil tunnels when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back and saw Hester bearing an unreadable expression.

"You should watch your back if I were you."

"How come?" Agatha asked.

"I noticed an Ever boy staring at you across the field. He probably have some beef with you."

Agatha was confused at first until she realizes who Hester meant.

"Do you know him?"

Hester scoffed. "Know him? Everyone knows him. He's a stuck-up just like his father."

Curious, Agatha gazed over the Ever line and spotted the blond hair boy. With just a glimpse on his sword, she figured out who is his father. A lion crest she saw somewhere.

She recalled the name of the sword. _Excalibur_.

"You mean to tell me that he's King Arthur's son?" Agatha whispered at Hester.

"Yup. His name is Tedros." Hester said.

"NO CHATTERING! MOVED IT OR LOSE IT!" Castor bellowed in anger.

They shut their mouths and arrived at the anteroom of the Evil castle.

 _Tedros. So that's his name._ Agatha thought as she walk besides Anadil, Dot and Hester to their room with an old wood plank above the door. _Room 66_.

She still hates him with every fiber in her body. But her mind is filled with his image. His high cheek bones, his broad shoulders and the way he looked at her…she doesn't know how to react this feeling.

Her biggest concern is why she still kept the rose hidden within her smelly black robes.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Professor Clarissa Dovey and Lady Lesso were in a dark room with high ceilings, filled with paintings, sculptures, and glass cases. They arrived at the palatial glass lobby and their eyes found the doors with words etched in glass.

 **THE GALLERY OF GOOD**

They entered the museum showing a panoramic view of a mural. It showed a dashing prince and a beautiful princess wedded beneath an arch full of decorated white flowers, as thousands of spectators showers them with red roses and danced in their celebration.

Along the way, Lady Lesso scowled at the good gallery's Artifacts while Professor Dovey marvelled them as each possession were once her Good students. They reached a section of the School History exhibit, banners celebrating the iconic victories and a wall labelled "Class Captain", dedicated to students from each class who reached the top.

"I'm telling you, Clarissa. The School Master is tampering with the tales." Lady Lesso said.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lady Lesso. He can't control the Storian and you know that." Clarissa responded.

Their attention drawn to a corner nook, with rows of paintings created by the same artist. They stopped at the last painting.

"Another of Professor Sader's delusions. Honestly, why do you even bother adding it here?"

"It is _his_ gallery."

Lady Lesso's purple eyes flash in anger as she tore off the painting by magic and threw over the glass case behind them.

Clarissa sighed. "and this is why they're not in _your_ school's gallery." With a swish of her finger, she returned the painting back to where it belong.

"Anyone is a fool to actually believe the Reader's Prophecy. Even The School Master is on to it." Lady Lesso said.

"But I do wondered why this particular year, we only received one Reader but not two. Especially the New Reader is in your side." Clarissa frowned.

"It doesn't matter. As long as she keeps up topping the ranks, maybe there's a chance for Evil to win. Evil hasn't defeated Good for _two hundred years_."

"We'll see about that." Clarissa said.

They exited the room and the doors magically closed behind them.

The latest painting in the gallery depicted raging children throwing their story books in a bonfire in the middle of the village square and watched them burn. All around them, the dark forest lit up in flames, filling the sky with violent red and ashy smoke. Where some parts of the village were burned down to the ground.

In the corner of the painting, a small figure of a girl wearing black clothing witnessed the scene while holding hands with a blue hooded stranger.

Below the painting, a bronzed plaque revealed a name.

 **GALVADON IN FLAMES**

~SGE~End of Chapter~SGE~


	4. Chapter 3

**~Chapter 3: All Blues and Mishaps~**

* * *

As the two schools were in a house arrest, a head leaned on the window sill, watching the doves landing on the Good Castle. Was this how eternal boredom feels like? Agatha glance at the antique clock stuck on the burnt brick wall, waiting for the time to strike at three.

She couldn't wait till the punishment is over and she misses the outdoor greenery. Not that she wanted to go back to the dark forest. Not anytime soon. She rather stay clear away from that place. It only brought out the memories of the strange meeting with a stranger boy and how she felt the chills of something latches on to her. That encounter still creeps her out. She can't shake off the icy blue gaze he gave her.

"This sucks." said a sour voice.

Breaking away from her inner thoughts, Agatha glanced at Hester, who was laying on the rickety old bed and the other two, Dot and Anadil. Apparently, these three girls are her bunk mates. A while ago, they were honest enough to tell her that they made bets on who was their fourth dorm mate and Hester won because she bets on her.

 _A complement or an insult?_ She can't tell.

"It's not that bad," Dot said, "We have some free time all to ourselves." Dot was busy munching down a book shaped chocolate, which Agatha assumes that Dot's specialty. Because she witness it during the morning class where Dot turned her feather pen into chocolate and ate it right away while Professor Manley wasn't facing the class.

"You think it's great being stuck in this dingy old room?" Hester growled

"That's not what I mean, Hester. And you know that." Dot replied with a pout.

"Wait till we learn spells. That's something to look forward to," Anadil said, brewing a stew in a cauldron near the corner of the room and fed some to her rats for a taste test.

While her roommates argued quietly, Agatha clutched a black cover book close to her chest. Unknown to her Never roommates, she placed the rose between the pages of _How to make a rash from bat wings_ and _a frog leg to upset an Ever's stomach._ She can still remember the vibrant scarlet of the rose, reflecting a glossy shine from the petals. It was specially prepared and she thought that it's impossible for a Never like her to have. She ought to throw it out of the window but she couldn't. However….

Looking out from the window, Agatha could see the whole view of the school grounds. Something is making a ruckus down below the Malice Towers, she looked down and saw nothing except the bubbling blackness of the moat. Then her eyes wondered curiously at the bridge connecting the Good and Evil, where she saw a thin silver tower in between. Below the tower's spire, a moderate size single window can be seen. Everything was pitch black but something is moving in the shadows. Agatha leaned forward to get a closer look.

A flash of sparkling blue eyes stared up at her. She rubbed her eyes a little with her pale hand and looked at the window again but no one's there.

 _Strange_.

"All in favor that is those pesky Ever's fault?," Hester said, lazily lifts an arm up in the air. Anadil simply raises her purple covered ladle while Dot contemplates with her answer.

"I'm not sure if I should say yes. The way I see it, its everyone's fault." Dot said softly.

Both Hester and Anadil gave her a steely stare.

"Uh..i mean..yes…YES! I AGREE!" she said as Dot's body fidgeted nervously at their intimidation auras.

Agatha's eyes searched around the room or what it used to be a pleasant room because the whole place looks like it was burned down from a fire. Her clump shoes were slightly buried beneath an inch of ash, kicking some off from her shoes while making a cloud of soot.

Glancing at her room-mates personal space, at Hester's nightstand, a knurled wooden picture frame showing a child's clumsy drawing of a house made of gingerbread and a grosteque witch on the doorstep. In Anadil's wrist, she wore a bracelet made of little boy's bones that belongs to a witch who rolled in to a barrel on nails. Above Dot's bed, a wanted poster of a handsome man in green with a huge red cross over his face.

 _{"….Snow White is my all time favorite~…"}_

There was this nagging voice in her head. It's feminine and in a slight high pitch tone. It feels like she wants to punch whoever owns it but at the same time, she misses it.

 _I need to do something to distract myself._

On the other side of the room right next to Hester, her cot was near the doorway. She doesn't mind the moth-eaten sheets but what she does mind was the trunk in front of her bed, marked "Agatha of Woods beyond" in a scraggy writing. Inside were a bunch of black capes, a broomstick and two pointy witch hats.

 _Was she born from a witch family? Maybe. All that's missing now is a feline to complete the get-up._

A memory flash in her mind, she almost hunched over as she clutches her head.

 _{…a bald and wrinkly cat was growling at someone. It tried to pounce at the intruder but she grabbed it's neck folds to hold it back…}_

"You okay there, love?" Dot asked in concern.

Agatha squinted at Dot. She knew that Dot is a good friend, better than Hester or Anadil and doesn't want to burden her with these problems. She can handle this by herself.

"I'm fine. Just a slight headache."

"Perhaps some stew will make you feel better," said Anadil, holding out a spoonful of purple goop.

Agatha gulped, slightly turning green from the smell. She doesn't want to know what's inside the mixture, "Uh..no thanks. I think my headache is gone now."

Anadil shrugged and return the goop back to the cauldron.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you something," Hester asked.

"Yeah?" Agatha answered.

"Why were you summoned in the Head's office?"

Agatha's eyes were wide, "How did you know that?" She thought that no one would notice or maybe it was obvious because she got escorted by the wolf guards and guiding her off from the others.

"I heard it from Mona," said Anadil, who lightly smacked the rat's head with a ladle, it tried to peer inside the cauldron.

"Who heard it from Arachne," said Dot, licking off bits of chocolate from her fingers.

"and she heard it from Hort." Hester said while picking out a wart from her foot.

Agatha sighed, "Look, it was nothing. The Head was prissy about my late arrival. There's nothing special about it"

"Oh? Could it be that one of the Stymphs lost its way to the Evil castle?" Anadil asks.

"Stymphs? What's a Stymph?" Agatha questioned.

"Huge birds. Mostly hidden in the forest or high in the sky. They're the ones that dropped us off here." Dot said

 _Huge birds as school transports?_ But she never saw such a creature, besides the wolf guards when she arrived at the school's entrance. Either they were playing tricks of her or speaking the truth at all.

"I never rode one." She said honestly.

"Then how did you get here?" asked Hester.

That got the attention from the other two and the three witches of Room 66 stared at her with curiousity if she can count Hester's glare as one.

She doesn't have a choice does she?

Well, if this will help past the time, she doesn't mind. Agatha retells her story from the moment she woke up and when she entered the Evil Castle with the two wolf guards. At the end of the story, both Hester and Anadil were scrutinizing her story in silence making Agatha nervous while Dot gave her a big hug.

"That's terrible. You poor thing" said Dot.

Agatha returned the hug, feeling a bit comfortable.

"So," Hester finally answered, "you mean to tell me that you lose parts of your memories?"

"Yes" Agatha replied

"Nothing to recall or anything?" asked Anadil.

"Just a few… my memories returned a little every time I thought of something that triggers it."

"Maybe the Stymph accidentally dropped you to the woods and you bumped your head on the ground." Anadil wondered.

"That could be yet I don't feel any bumps on my head when I came to. All I know is that I came from this place called Woods Beyond." Agatha pointed at the trunk near her bed.

"Woods Beyond? Never heard of it." Dot said

"Me too. Is that near Murmuring Mountains?" asked Anadil.

"Well wherever you came from, you fit right in." Dot said.

"Yeah, for a Reader." Hester gave a shrug.

 _A Reader?_ Agatha scrunches her face. She had heard of the term but didn't fully understood it besides defined as someone who reads a lot.

"Why do you call me that?"

"You may look like us, one of the Nevers, but Readers are a whole different kind." Hester snorted.

"They're the ones who reads our fairy tales and such." Dot said, "Think of them like believers. Without them, no one will know our fairytales and I like that one day that I'll be part of one too."

"I know you will, Dot." Agatha said softly.

Hester jumped out from her bed and stretched her arms up, purring at the sounds of pops coming from her back, "That's enough rest for me. Do you have any ideas on how to fix your problem?"

"Gather enough information, even if it's a hunch. If it does help me solve the small part of this mystery, then I'll take that chance." Agatha said with determination.

 ** _CUCKOO CUCKOO COO!_**

The girl's heads swivelled to the antique clock, a mini Stymph comes out and makes a cuckoo noise. The long handle strikes at exactly three. A commotion clamoured outside the room and the door flew open with a crack. A vicious white wolf guard thundered in and yelled at them.

"TIME OUT IS OVER! HEAD TO YOUR NEXT CLASS! NOW!"

One by one, the wolf grabbed them by their collars and throw them out of the room.

"Stay close with me," Dot said, "or we will be swept away with the crowd-" But many bodies run past between them and Agatha was alone among the black sea of students. They were soon herded to the main foyer, where they met their other classmates front the other hallway. Agatha frantically look for her bunkmates.

"Hey! Wait up!" someone said behind her.

Agatha looked back and saw Hort rammed and elbowed some students, receiving yells and growls in return, making his way towards her. He manages to arrive at her side and let out a sigh of relief.

"For a moment there, I thought I wasn't able to reach you." Hort said with a toothy grin.

"Hello to you too, Hort" Agatha said vaguely

"You..you remember me?" Hort asked

 _In what sense?_ Have they met before she lost her memories? She can't jump to conclusions yet.

"Yeah, heard your name back from the Clearing."

"Oh! That's good, with the whole Ravan chasing after me, thought my name was never heard. And you..you don't mind if I walk with you?" Hort asked with a slight blush.

"I don't see why not," Agatha replied," but what about your friends?"

"Nah..i don't have friends. Plus I got you."

"and again, how did we became friends?" Agatha asked curiously

"Don't you remember this morning during the assembly? You pushed me off while I was standing on my seat." Hort questioned.

She did remember that. That time, she was not in the mood and doesn't want anyone to be near her personal space when she's thinking about the whole ordeal she had. Guilt clutches her heart.

"Yeah..about that..i'm sorry.."

"Sorry? Why would you apologize? You save my life!" Hort said

"Huh?" She said in surprise.

"The moment you pushed me off, someone accidentally threw a sword in my way and it would have hit me in the head if you hadn't done that. You're my savior!" Hort grinned.

Agatha would have said something to reply but a wolf guard growled at them to be silenced. The tunnel grew narrower and narrower until she could barely see the outlines of students around her. Her roommates and Hort were no where to be seen distinctively. Yet she can still feel Hort's presence beside her.

Up ahead, a ray of light that indicates that they were close to the exit of the tunnel. Once near, she covered her eyes at the brightness with her hand and frowned. Infront of her was the Clearing. The group continued to trek further beyond the azure bushes as they arrived at the entrance of the Blue Forest gates along with the other school.

The last class of the day was the Surviving Fairy Tales.

In order to appease both the Heads from their respected schools, eight Evers and eight Nevers will be put in a group once both schools arrived at the gates. And again, Agatha thought on what's the point on having this activity together but of course, no one will answer it.

Being part of the Evil school means that high expectations from the Evil faculty will be extreme, due to the losing streak to the Good for many years.

Each side sneered, snubbed and make faces at each other but a wolf guard silence them with a roar as the fairies sorted them into Forest Groups. Everyone parted their ways towards the flag poles with group numbers on it.

Both Agatha and Hort simultaneously pulled out papers with numbers on it from the fairy's basket

They were both marked with a number three, inked with bloody red.

"Lucky! We're both in the same group. Come on, let's go!" Hort said while grabbing Agatha's arm as they made their way through the crowd, going to their destination.

"I believe it's this way!"

"Hort! Slow down!"

Images of the blue forest were a blur to her but she was able to glimpse at the other students, who found their leaders with matching colors and numbers. Soon, Agatha and Hort were first to arrive under the bloody flag "3". Agatha plopped down on the ground, catching her breath. Who knew Hort could ran that fast.

"You've got to be kidding with me."

Agatha heard a girl's voice behind them. She turned to see the Ever blonde. It was the same girl who was with Tedros back at the Clearing.

 _Oh great, not this clown._ Anyone will do but why her of all people? Suddenly, something inside her is stirring, a furious heat of hatred spreading across from her body. The feeling was nothing that she felt before. Agatha needed to reign it and getting herself under control before anything disastrous might happened.

"I would have said the same thing too," Agatha said calmly, "but I wouldn't waste my breath to a Ever like you," sneering at the blonde.

Hort snickered.

That irked the Ever girl.

Luckily, other people were approaching to where they are, the tension between them slightly dissipated but it is still there. Agatha easily recognized the group of people from afar. Hester, Dot, Anadil, and the rest of their Forest Group members arrived.

"Umm..are we missing someone?" Hort said. Agatha look at their group and it was just as Hort said, they were one person short. A head count started from one Never girl with one eye in the middle of her forehead and to an Ever with a short brown hair.

"Missing a member?"

They turned to see a four-foot gnome with wrinkly brown skin, a belted green coat, and a pointy orange bat frowning as he ushered an Ever boy with his stubby white staff to the group.

Agatha couldn't believe her eyes. The missing person in their group was Tedros. And it seems the wannabe-prince tried to ignore her presence fully.

 _How rude._ But at least she doesn't have to deal with the boy. She stood up from the ground with a little help from Dot and Hort from her sides.

"I am Yuba," the gnome grumbled loudly, "your instructor for this class. That's all. I don't need to be chummy with you all with my personal hobbies and what not. But we are at a limited time before the sun sets. You! Group 3 go in first."

He pulled the Blue Forest Gates open with his staff and led his students into the Blue Forest. Agatha could have sworn that the grumpy gnome was mumbling something about their group, since they were the first to go. She clearly heard him muttered "bad group" when he looked in their way, but Hort being the most excited dragged her with him through the path.

For a moment, everyone forgot their bitterness with each other and marvelled at the blue wonderland around them, full of beauty and life. Every tree, every flower, every blade of grass were all in the shade of blues. Where she had always associated forests with darkness and dangerous creatures, this place wasn't anything like one.

Agatha found a bird's nest in one of the trees and gaped at what she is seeing. A flock of skeletal birds, with no skin nor eyes sleeping in their nests.

"Is this what Stymphs look like?" Agatha asks Dot, who was walking beside her.

"Yup, they are not so dangerous during in the day. Perfectly harmless, unless a villain wakes them up." Dot answered back.

Agatha wondered if she can keep one as a pet.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Narrow beams of sunlight left in the autumn evening slipped through the azure leaves lighting the whole forest. Navy flowers bloom as the children walk passed by.

"It's creepy out here. Won't you protect me, Tedros?" Beatrix said flirtatiously.

He didn't know when did she latched to his arm, distracted by the beauty of the forest like everyone else. Tedros tried to remove his arm from her hold but her delicate grip was strong as Chaddick's strength. _Girls are frightening when they want them to be_. He thought in dismay.

Tedros couldn't get enough sleep during the lockdown because there was something clamouring near the Good Castle grounds and he looked out of the window and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

 _Strange._

While trekking on the light blue powdered path, Yuba started off by telling the history of how Blue Forest came to be.

"Once upon a time," he said with a gruff voice, "there had been no joint classes for both schools. Ever. Instead, once the students graduated, they were immediately sent off to the Endless Woods for fairytale training. But alas, many fell prey to the creatures of the night and occasionally got eaten by a man-eating tulip."

This trigger some students gulping in fear.

"It's obvious that you cannot survive your own fairytale if you can't survive the Woods." Yuba continued. "So the school created the Blue Forest, protective enchantments spread across the blue foliage not only to keep the creatures out but also intruders. This also reminds the students such as yourselves that this place is an imitation of what a real treacherous Woods looks like."

True to his word, the students tensed as Yuba led them past the North Gates. The forest beyond the gates were black as an eternal night, with every inch of green darkened by shadows.

As Tedros' eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see a small dirt path lilting through trees. In both sides of the path were trees strangled by vines into armoured clumps, barely any undergrowth in between. What's left of the forest floor had been buried beneath mangled thorns and cobwebs. But what frightened the students most were the moans and growls echoed from the darkness beyond the path.

"Eek!" Beatrix screamed, she moves closer to Tedros side, prompting other Ever girls flocking to him. He could hear Agatha snorted at the display behind him.

The children began to see what was making those terrifying sounds. Pairs of eyes watched them from afar – some devilish red and yellow, flickering and vanishing like a shadow. The noise grew louder and they all saw skulking outline rises from the mist -

"All right, that's enough. This way." Yuba called back. The students scampered from the onyx North Gates and followed the professor gnome into a blue clearing without looking back. Except Hort did look back and saw the fiendish eyes multiplied, eyeing dangerously at him and he run back to Agatha and Dot's side.

The clearing is an open space with navy grass. All fifteen groups sat in their respected areas according to the flag poles with numbers on it. Tedros was ushered by Beatrix to seat in front of the group as Yuba the Gnome take the middle aisle and stand on top of the biggest tree stump to begin his lesson.

"Surviving Fairy Tales may be just like any other class," Yuba said, "only now there's something more at stake. Twice a year, each of the fifteen groups would send their best Ever and Never to compete in the school's Trial by Tale. The winners will received extra five first- place ranks."

Tedros wanted to know more about this mysterious competition. But Yuba didn't say any more than what is given.

Everyone from different groups glanced at each other, they all have the same thought in their minds. Whoever won the Trial by Tale would surely be Class Captain. This got Hester excited, her tattoo burning in anticipation. Others were hyped as well, dreaming of becoming the Class Captain, holding the torch of victory for their schools.

"Now there are _five rules_ that separate Good from Evil and vice versa."

The staff that he was holding turns out to be a tall smoking pipe. With a swing of his staff, puffs of white smoke filled the air and started to form words in a few seconds.

 **The Evil** _ **attack**_ **. The Good** _ **defend**_ **.**

 **The Evil** _ **punish**_ **. The Good** _ **forgive**_ **.**

 **The Evil** _ **hurt**_ **. The Good** _ **help**_ **.**

 **The Evil** _ **take**_ **. The Good** _ **give**_ **.**

 **The Evil** _ **hate**_ **. The Good** _ **love**_ **.**

"As long as you obey these rules for your side, you have the best possible chance of surviving your fairytale," Yuba said to the group gathered in the clearing. "These rules should come with ease, of course. You have been chosen for your schools precisely because you show them at the highest level!"

Tedros thought hard about the rules that is still up in the air. The first one he understands, every knight's duty is to keep Camelot safe from invaders by patrolling along the caramel coloured walls. He's not sure about forgiveness. He still haven't forgave his mother and Sir Lancelot's affair. Quite not sure about the third and the fourth.

But what about _love_? Does loving his mother counts as one even though her betrayal still hurts him? He really misses her. Soon the smoky words faded away along with the wind.

"But first," Yuba continued, "you must learn to differentiate and recognize what's Good and Evil. In the Woods, appearances are often deceiving. Just like Snow White who nearly perished all because she thought an old woman was kind. Red Riding Hood can't tell the difference between family and fiend before she found herself in a wolf's stomach. Even Belle struggled to distinguish between a noble prince and a hideous beast."

Students all around shifted nervously on their patch of grass seats.

Yuba shook his head miserably, "All unnecessary suffering. For no matter how much Good and Evil are disguised, they can always be told apart."

He motioned the class with his staff to stand up and everyone followed suit.

"For this challenge, each student had to distinguish between a disguised Ever and Never by observing their behavior on the side. Whoever guessed correctly in the fastest time would receive first rank!" Yuba said.

Students whispered to each other, talking about tactics to tell apart from Good and Evil. Tedros overheard someone behind him while Beatrix was chatting about unrelated topics to the challenge. Agatha was huddled by the other two Nevers and formed a semi-circle.

"This would be a walk in the park for you, love!" Dot said to Agatha.

"Of course she will," Hort added, "she's our number one in all of our classes."

"You guys, stop it. There's nothing special about me." Agatha tried to convince her friends but her words didn't reach the both of them.

 _She ranked first?_ Now that got him interested. But he didn't like how Hort is so close to her side.

"Were you listening to me?" Beatrix asked

"umm yeah..what were you saying?" he said, reigning in the little green monster inside him.

Yuba coughed loudly to get everyone's attention, "To start this challenge, i need a volunteer. Any takers?" Yuba asked.

Hort was first to raise his hand, waving high up in the air, "Me! I volunteer!" he sped passed the groups and arrive to the gnome's side. As soon as Yuba pulled out ragged blindfold and tied around Hort's eyes, he stabbed his staff at Ravan and a ginger haired Ever girl who magically shrank down until black and pink clothes remain but movements were squirming around the uniforms and two identical cobras slithered out.

Hort whipped off the blindfold and look at the two cobras with a serious expression. Both Agatha and Dot leaned forward, they know who is who base from the clothes they slithered out from but what about their friend? Tedros, too, wondered if he can decipher which one of them is an Ever or a Never.

"Well?" Yuba said.

"Hmmm…," Hort looks like he is thinking long and hard, staring at the two black beady eyes of the cobras, "…nope…They look the bloody same to me." Hort said with a nervous smile.

Tedros saw Agatha facepalmed at her friend's idiocy.

Yuba's face turn bright red, "Test them, fool! Use the rules!"

"I honestly don't remember them, teach'," Hort said.

"Next!" the gnome grumped. He squinted at his scroll of names, "Dot of Nottingham."

For Dot's turn, Yuba changed Beatrix and Hort into unicorns, But one of them started copying the other until they both pranced around like mimicking mimes. Dot scratches her head in confusion.

"Rule one!," Yuba barked, "The Evil attack and The Good defend! Which one started it?"

"Oh! That. Can we start again?"

"Not just bad," Yuba said grumpily, "Worst!"

Dot walked sulky over to Agatha's side and she gave her friend a pat on the shoulder. Other students were called one by one to perform the challenge. Some succeeded through sheer dumb luck while few failed and rusted "18" "!7" and "20" hovered over their heads, then fall like an anvil into their noggins. From the corner of his eye, He saw the gnome teacher looking at direction of the Good school, with a serious expression on his face.

"Tedros of Camelot!"

Tedros straightened his back when his name was called. The gnome no longer held a grave expression, full attention to his long list. He then eyed the groups around.

"Who would like to be disguised for Tedros?" asked Yuba

All the Evergirls raised their hands.

"Not you, Beatrix of Jaunt Jolie, you already have your turn." Yuba said.

"That's not fair!" Beatrix said. The Evergirls were hoping that one of them would be the volunteer for the Prince of Camelot.

"You haven't gone yet," Yuba said, pointing at Agatha, "You either," he said to a sweet, short pigged tail haired Ever girl with almond shaped eyes.

Tedros gulped, "Come on, Tedros. You can do this." He mumbled to himself. He put on his blindfold by himself and waited for Yuba's signal. Agatha tramped in front of the class and the Evergirl stood next to her.

"Uh…Hi! I'm Kiko," she said nervously to Agatha.

"Umm…Hi?" Agatha wasn't sure why an Ever would greeted her this nicely.

"Get yourself ready the both of you," Yuba jabbed his staff at them, and both girls exploded from their clothes. Agatha closed her eyes from the puffs of smoke until she heard a scream from Kiko. She opened her eyes to see her pale hands turned into greasy green hands with claws. Agatha turned to her side and slightly jumped back at a slimy, stinky hobgoblin staring shockingly at her.

Tedros took off the blindfold and took a step back, hand to nose from the smell.

"Use the rules, boy!" Yuba bellowed.

He grimaced at the two goblins before him and closed his eyes. The prince hesitated for a moment but in the darkness, he could see a light blue shimmering sparkles on the left side and he felt himself drawn towards one of the hobgoblins.

Everyone in the clearing gasped, even Kiko in disguise. Agatha too was shock as Tedros touched her warted face with gentle hand. "This one is an Ever." He opened his eyes, "This one's the princess."

Agatha gaped at him, dumbstruck. She can't tell if she is seeing things or is this boy had screw loose in his brain.

For a moment, everything was quiet. Suddenly, Hort couldn't contain his laughter and laughed out loud while rolling on the grassy fields. Every Never students snickered, mockingly pointing at the confused prince.

"Wait. I'm right. Right?," Tedros asked.

Yuba sighed, "Even a prince can't tell." With a wave of his staff, he returned the two hobgoblins back to their original forms. The girl's green hides shrank, their scales softened to skin, their bodies melted into their human clothing and slowly Agatha turned to find the entire group especially the Nevers were goggling at her.

"At least one of you knows how to use her rules, tricking the prince to choose the wrong hobgoblin." Yuba said.

A "1" puffed in black smoke over Agatha's head and a "3" in smoky green over the prince's.

"And as for you, son of Arthur, I suggest you hit the books and study the rules." Yuba said. Tedros tried not to look ashamed. He couldn't be wrong. He felt the warm glow between him and Agatha.

In the distance, the wolves howled the end of class as the autumn sunsets.

"Class dismissed!" Yuba said and waddled off leading the groups back to the school castles. Yuba walked hastily, leaving most of the groups behind. The quick pace of his little feet, this tells Tedros that something happened while they were playing guesses on who is who.

Something far more important than having students lost in the Blue Forest.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

After supper has ended, Tedros decided to head to the boy's Groom Room for a swim, clearing out what transpired from the Surviving Fairy Tale class. Even though his over-all rank is ranked number two behind Beatrix, he still has his privileges to use it.

While the girl's groom room resembles a beauty spa and cater to beauty needs, on the other side focused more on fitness. He passed by the sweat lodge called "Midas Gold", the peasant- themed tanning room, and finally arrived at the gymnasium with Norse hammers on the entrance archway.

He changed from his uniform to swimming breeches, swan glittering on his bare chest and dive head first to the pool.

He needed this, after all the sweat and stress on his first day. The saltwater does wonders to his body, healing the aches from Swordplay and the late afternoon class. When he emerges to the surface, fits of giggles and hushes were heard behind the wooden door. It's probably Beatrix and her lackeys. Twinkly flutters echoed outside, the fairy patrol must have ushered the girls back to their dorms. He felt a twinge of disappointment as he toweled himself, his breeches dripping forming a small pool to where he stood.

With a hefty sigh, he changed back to his uniform, putting a hand towel over his shoulder and threw open the door, making his way back to the dorm.

As he turned to the corner, a green dark mist came out from the emerald walls and perched itself above, hiding from the prince's sight. Floating slowly across the jaded decor frames, it stalks the boy with the halo blond, quiet as a mouse. But it abruptly stopped its pursuit, the misty form shook in fear at the bright glow aura coming from the hallway to which the oblivious prince entered. Two piercing green eyes were gazing longingly at the prince's back then slithered back to where it came from.

The stars that shine like diamonds lit the hallway, the peaceful nightfall gave way the moonlight. From the other end of the hallway, he heard someone speaking in a hush tone. It came from one of the classrooms.

"There's something in the Evil Castle that is causing all of this." said a distraught voice.

Tedros recognized that voice tone, he peeked through the candied keyhole into the gingerbread classroom. The seats were occupied by two Good faculty teachers. One is Professor Dovey, who sat on the sponge cake chair, gone was the bright smile but replaced with a deep frown. The other one is a young teacher with olive skin, dressed in pink long gown and black long hair to her waist, crossing her arms out of frustration.

"For the last time, Princess Uma. I had talk with Lady Lesso and none of the Evil faculty or the students have anything to do with this. The students were in their dorms when the incident happened." Professor Dovey said.

Princess Uma pouted, " My woodland friends are in distress, Professor Dovey. This afternoon, I notice that something disturbs their natural peace and they tried to drown themselves on the moat. It's like! It's like they were trying to get on the other side, risking their little lives." Tears began to run down on her pretty face.

His eyes were wide open. _The noises that he heard were from animals drowning themselves without reason?_ That's crazy!

"There. There. We will get to the bottom of this. Thankfully, all of them are all okay except the muck stuck in their furs. But for now, head to your quarters and take a good night sleep." Professor Dovey hugged the sniffling teacher, who nodded at her suggestion.

Tedros silently bolted out of the doorway and hid behind a marble pillar as the two teachers exit the classroom and walk to the other direction. He was too close to be caught for eavesdropping on their private conversation. It's best to head back to the dorm while no one notices him.

Many strange things had happened to him, all on his first day.

~SGE~End of Chapter~SGE~

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Remember readers, we are dealing with an amnesiac Agatha. There are still parts of her bitter personality left but not fully remembering of who she was before. So yeah, she may be a bit OCC. I still hope you all like it though. Many messaged me about it, some love it and some hate it but I'm still going to continue this till the end.

Thank you all for your love and support of this fanfiction and tune in on the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay! I finally got my laptop fixed and ready to make more chapters for you guys to read.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not owned the School for Good and Evil series. That belongs to Sir Soman Chainani.

Hope you enjoy~

* * *

 **~CHAPTER 4: A Shocking Dream~**

The next morning, the Breakfast hall in the Charity towers is an interactive pop-up art experience celebrating everything about breakfast, from the trivial to the transcendent and the whole place is basked in the light of an egg yolk sunrise.

Where the comfy marbles chairs and tables were sculpted perfectly from legendary craftsmanship.

Tedros can tell that everyone is preparing for the morning session. Munching on the warm meal with their spoons and forks clanking on their plates, the Good students were chatting around about weird rumors of someone breaking a rule or students worried about their grades and looks.

He stared at his golden plate on his bed, filled with sausages, poached egg and sparkling lemon drink, contemplating on what he had witnessed last night, anxious if they found out that someone heard their conversation.

The sudden loss of appetite did not surprise him, poking the poached egg with his fork. He knows that he wasn't supposed to be there. It was purely an accident when he overheard it, the incident that happened yesterday. But to think that there is something that cause the animals to behave that way, who can be that evil?

Suddenly he heard someone mimicking hobgoblin lurches, some howling gibberish and snickers from the other side of the table.

This is grating his nerves, his anger is rising. _That does it!_

"Will the two of you knocked it off?!" Tedros yelled.

He saw two Ever boys turned back to their plated food as Chaddick shook his head at their antics.

"It will go away eventually, Tedros." Said Chaddick

Tedros grunted as he angrily munched down one sausage and swallowed heavily, "It's not my fault that the hobgoblin I chosen was a Never. Now I'm the laughing stock for who knows how long."

"Maybe she casted a spell on you to purposely choose her," Nicholas said.

"That's impossible, Nic, "Chaddick added, "we haven't underwent the unlocking of magic. That class starts in the next few days."

"If you want, Tedros" Nicholas said, "you can whipped them with your sword skills at the next class."

The class after Good Deeds was Swordplay, lectured by Professor Rumi Espada. It's the perfect exercise to relieve his stress and at the same time getting his revenge on those two fools for mocking him, the Prince of Camelot.

Calming down, he nodded at Nicholas for the suggestion.

"…You're right, Nic," Tedros said.

The howls from the wolves signals the start of the morning classes and Tedros found himself in the Purity Common Room for Good Deeds.

Professor Clarissa Dovey looked even more comforting and grandmotherly but behind those tensed smile was worry and sadness. How does he know that? He thought that it would be obvious but the others didn't noticed it.

"Welcome to Good Deeds, children," said Professor Dovey, "I know that we're behind some of your other subjects, so we'll dispense with the usual pleasantries."

"Let me begin by saying that over the years, I've seen a disturbing decrease in esteem for this class. Every time you do a Good Deed with true intention, your soul grows purer." She said, justifying the importance of Good Deeds.

Everyone in the class beamed with smiles.

"Though lately, my Good students have been doing them as if they were chores." Professor Dovey continued, "Rather than doing _actual_ Good deeds, many tend to focus more on cultivating their egos, arrogance and waist size!"

Then everyone bowed down in shame, knowing full well that they were all guilty.

"Let me assure you, our winning streak for the last two hundred years can end at any time!" She stressed.

"Now pay attention, the three keys to Good Deeds are creativity, feasibility and spontaneity."

She wrote those three words on the board with a glittering chalk. The chalking writing changes colors on the words, where creativity is written in rainbow, feasibility in light blue and spontaneity in bright yellow.

As the lecture goes on, Tedros tried to listen but something is ringing on his ears, like someone is playing a bad tune on the flute. And it got worse when he felt a cold stare behind his back but when he looked over his shoulder, an Ever boy was taking down notes.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he returned his attention to the front but couldn't stop thinking about the creepy feeling on his back.

While students were writing down on their parchment papers, Professor Dovey's eyes roamed around each head and simply glare at the shadow figure in the corner of the room and it vanished, out of sight.

 _Good heavens. That thing is still lurking around the school,_ she thought. Fearing for her students, she magically cast a yellow glow across the classroom. The students didn't feel the glittering sparks hovering over them. She hoped that it's enough to ease their anxiousness.

 _Better to inform this with the other faculty members._ It's bad enough that even one of Lady Lesso's students got a fever. Something is afoot. This is getting out of hand.

Such incidents like these never happened before in the entire of history of the school.

Hopefully the meeting won't start with blaming the School Master. Her nose twitched, knowing full well that it will most likely to happen.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

Surprisingly, lunch took place again in the Clearing and everyone is staying where they belong or the fact the wolf guards and fairies are focused on their chosen side. They don't want a repeat from yesterday so the guards were strengthening their security measures.

Tedros situated himself again on the same tree along with his friends. The weird feeling he felt back at the classroom was gone and he was relieved that the pressure disappeared. The classes fly by and he got his revenge with the Ever boys who made fun of him from breakfast time during sword practice.

"That's some awesome display you did," Chaddick said, "remind me not to mess with you when you are in the bad mood."

"By now, they should not mess with the prince." said Nicholas.

They both chuckled while enjoying the lunch meals provided by the Nymphs in hooded cloaks. The grass fields felt nice under his hands when he overhear someone from the otherside.

"I told her that she should have taken the stew."

The voice came from the three Never girls, grouped together under a tree. He could barely see Hort on top of tree, eating his bucket of food while staring at the entrance to the Tunnel of Trees.

"We are not sure if your concoction would cure her or kill her." Dot said, "She only got a slight fever overnight."

 _Are they talking about Agatha?_ Then he looked around the Never side, aware that Agatha was indeed missing out on lunch time. Was she bedridden from a cold or illness? He needs to know what happened to her.

 _No, idiot! Stop thinking about the girl._ His friends might misunderstand him for caring the Never student. It's not his fault that he got curious about her condition.

"Must be the grub ingredients, who knows what they put in there." Anadil replied, swirling her bucking full of blob.

"Sigh… I hope that she'll be all right." Said Dot, looking worried for their roommate.

"If she doesn't break from that fever, I'll have the competition all to myself." Hester smirked, while chewing on a pig legged meat. It looks horribly butchered.

"Hester!" Dot scolded.

"What? I'm speaking the truth. I mean look at the score board now," Hester replied, pointing at the ranking boards for Good and Evil, tacked to the Blue Forest Gates. It was currently being chipped by a studious, spectacled woodpecker named Albemarle.

 **~EVER RANKING BOARD~**

 **BEATRIX OF JAUNT JOLIE – 88 Points**

 **TEDROS OF CAMELOT – 84 Points**

 **REENA OF PASHA DUNES – 71 Points**

He couldn't believe that his ranking got down by one, all because of the Surviving Fairy Tale class yesterday. But he slightly gawked at the old wooden ranking board of the Nevers beside the elegant waxed board of the Evers.

 **~NEVER RANKING BOARD~**

 **HESTER OF RAVENSWOOD– 94 Points**

 **AGATHA OF WOODS BEYOND – 90 Points**

 **ANADIL OF BLOODBROOK– 87 Points**

How could they earn more points than the Ever side? They must be cheating.

Once the well-dressed woodpecker was done with final peck and flew back to the Good castle, few students flock to the sign, looking for their names. Some perked happily to see their names in one of the top twenty while others gloom when they can't find their names.

"The title for Captain will be mine for the taking." Hester said triumphantly.

"Not unless I get to it first," Anadil respond calmly.

Hester glared at Anadil for a second when suddenly they heard of trudging footsteps sluggishly headed to their way.

Hort was first to greet as he jumped down from the tree and bear-hugged the person.

"Agatha! You're alright!" Hort said

"Can't…breath...," Agatha heaved from the pressure.

"Oops! Sorry!"

Hort immediately let go of her and Agatha hunched forward to catch her breath. Dot stood up and put her hands on her shoulders, shaking her in the process.

"I'm so glad that you are not dead!"

Agatha looked confused and asked, "Dead?"

"She thought the dinner food killed you last night." Said Hester, "bits of cow skin doesn't fit well for digestion."

"umm…glad to know, I guess," Agatha replied, rubbing her arm a little.

"But more importantly," Hort looked at Agatha worriedly and asked, "Are you sure that you're fit to join the class?"

Now that he thought about it, Tedros notices her skin is as white as sheet.

"Yeah, the fever is gone and Professor Sheeba allowed me to attend classes later," Agatha said, "So what did I miss?"

A thud of a metal bucket dropped by her side caused Agatha to jumped a little and saw the wolf guard returned back to its post.

"…besides almost missing lunch." Agatha continued, closing her eyes for a moment while Dot ushered her on the ground and start to jabber about their morning classes.

Letting the Nevers be, Tedros enjoyed his lunch meal, listening to Chaddick's wild stories about his childhood, but he couldn't help feeling cold all of a sudden. He warmed himself with the sunlight, stretching out his arms out.

Across the field opposite to the Good, Hester and Anadil were having a heated argument about taking the Captain title, trying to list down their best skills to prove the other wrong.

Hort on the other hand, snored loudly beside Dot and Agatha while laying down on the grassy floor with a drool on the side of his mouth.

Immerse in her own conversation, Dot didn't notice Agatha's attention was on Tedros' back, giving him a cold stare.

There was a hint of green flash across her foggy dark lady bug eyes.

Finally aware that her friend was not listening, Dot asked, "Agatha, is there something wrong?"

Agatha's eyes glistened, breaking out from whatever made her thought blanked and turned her head to Dot with a nervous smirk, "It's nothing, Dot. So what where you saying?"

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

The tenor-tolled clock sang in the foyer, past eleven o'clock as the full moon appeared above the swirly white clouds in the dark night sky.

In one of the Honor tower dorms, Tedros' bunkmates were sleeping soundly after a tired day of school except for the prince who struggled in his sleep, moving around agitated and his blanket fell off from the mattress.

… _As he falls closer to the bottom which was filled with skulls, he immediately closed his eyes and brace for impact._

 _He could still hear the cloaked man's cruel laughter and the girl's scream in terror echoing in his head and –_

 _ **SPLAT!**_ _..._

He bolted right up, breathing heavily while putting his palm over his bared chest, feeling the hard beats from his heart.

 _It was that dream again._

This is the second time he experienced the same dream. The dream where he was at a ball, met a mysterious beautiful maiden and plunged down to his death. He put on his white shirt and grabbed a glass of water from his bedside table.

As he drank the whole water down his almost dry throat, he caught a glimpsed of a glow light outside the dorm room.

He would have thought that the fairies are doing their night patrol when suddenly he saw a dark shadowy figure, standing in front of the doorway. Preparing to grab Excalibur from his side, his eyes never left the shadow until it walked away.

 _That's strange._

And then he thought of something. What if the shadow figure was the culprit behind those incidents? Brimmed with confidence and the fright from a night terror disappeared, he quickly put on his clamored shoes, setting his belt holster with his sword and slowly opened the door to look for the intruder. He spotted the shadow escaped to the left hallway and Tedros run after it.

Though he should be worried about his loud footsteps alerting the guards but knowing someone intruded the tower brings an adrenaline for adventure.

After passing each candied room, he thought that he'd lost the trail when he turned to another corner and found the figure gone from sight.

"Damn!" he said.

He was hoping to catch the culprit and end this night with a goodnight sleep, maybe. Aware that the intruder comes when everyone is asleep, he'll hatch a plan as he went back to his dorm.

But an eerie voice startled him out of nowhere and stopped him from taking another step.

 _{…Please!...~}_

Apprehensive, he looked around for any person on sight, to the other end of the hallway and up to the ceiling but no one came into view.

 _{…Save…me…~}_

He clearly heard a feminine voice and it came from the staircase to another section of the tower. Should he go or leave it be? But he can't ignore a cry from a maiden and rushed blindly to where the source was.

Climbing up the flight of stairs and entered a floor with dark accent blue halls, Tedros walked aimlessly around the floor and his feet led him to the glass decorated door to the Gallery of Good.

Since there were no guards on the floor level, he might as well go inside and take a look around for anyone who seems lost.

Once inside, it was a beautiful sight to see. The way how the moon light reflects through the colored glass window brought the whole area well-lit with bright colors.

"Hello?" his voice echoed softly around the room.

But there was no response. Did he just imagined it?

His eyes drifted across the sculptures, cases that holds the legendary items from famous fairytale heroes, and stuffed friendly creatures were seen from the light source of the pink-flamed torches.

 _{…look…for...the…truth…~}_

 _There it is again. It came from this way!_

Traversing carefully through the exhibit and around the corner nook, a dozen of paintings mounted on the walls with a title plaque above "Reader's Gallery".

"Is anyone here?" he said again. His hand touch lightly the old wood frames that held paintings of places that he has never seen.

Tedros walked from frame to frame as the landscapes changes.

One painting shows wood front shops in the plaza, the church changed colors from white to red, two windmills rose behind the lake – until a painting of a village came into view with lake-shore cottages and colorful leaves. The purple and green tulips decorating along the thin dirt roads and a leaning clock tower, only drawn as fantasy in a land far, far away.

As children read storybooks on the church steps, the sun's ray of light curtain down to a girl in a purple peacoat and yellow hat with sunflowers.

 _Alice in Wonderland?_ He didn't know that she was part of the reader world.

Across the painting, an errant ray of sun spot-lit a boy in black beating a cat with a stick.

 _Typical Never material._

Rows of paintings were casting their lights on two different individuals. Until his eyes lay on the second painting to the last.

It portrayed children reading on top of an emerald colored hill, two sat below, sunlit on a lake bank. A beautiful girl with gold soft hair in pink packing pouches with cucumbers and the other one was easily recognized. He saw Agatha in the same black clothing back at the Theatre, she was flicking matches into the water.

But something is not right. He looked at the frame where Agatha was in. The paintings are telling him that in every frame, the light chosen two children, one bright and fair while the other strange and grim.

It's obvious that Agatha is on the Never side but what happened to the other one? The one with mesmerizing green sparkling eyes and soft pinks lips curled in a smile? He thought that something horrible might have happened to her and dread pricked his spine. _Can it be? Could Agatha have-_

He remembered what his father once said.

" _The best villains make you doubt."_

Had the witch bewitched him since yesterday? Was that why he encountered strange things and how he feels like something has chained his heart?

Tedros felt sick. _That girl is dangerous_. He should stay as far away as possible from her.

Sweating, he slowly turned to the last huge painting, which was covered by a royal blue cloth. This made him want to peek inside. Tedros was about to lift up the cloth when he heard glittering flutters outside the gallery. Before he could move, glowing fairies burst in, searching every crevice like flashlights.

Far across the room, he saw the doorway where the fairies entered.

 _This is his chance._ Forgetting about the mysterious voice, just when the fairies reached the exhibit, he sprinted for it. This surprised the fairies as he slid between three sculptors, threw open the doors and escaped.

He doesn't know where he is going but as long as those guards aren't on his tail. The hallway that he took leads him to the tunnels to the Clearing.

The fairies swooped in a second later, but all they found was an empty hall, the fleeting figure disappeared from their sight. One fairy growled and stomped it's foot hard on the ground.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

The prince of Camelot wasn't the only one who had trouble of dreaming. Back at the Evil dorms, the one called Agatha was writhing in her sheets. When suddenly, she trashed awake in her blanket, her face broke out in a cold sweat. The fear shocked her body to the core as her pounding heart increases in a second.

Her mind jumped to alertness and frantically searched around with her eyes wide in fear of the ghostly hag.

Her sight soon got adjusted to the dark room and all she saw were her bunk-mates sleeping heavily and snoring especially Dot who is the loudest.

Anadil slept like a dead body in a funeral with three of her faithful rats on her stomach while Hester covered her whole head with the uneven pillow, to keep out the loud snores.

With no sight of the witch, Agatha got out from her bed and stumbled slightly to the window sill for fresh air. Her eyes darted around the campus ground until they lay still on the School Master's tower.

 _{…The Tower! The Tower! The Tower!...}_

The faded mutters gave her the shivers. Even in reality, her body still remembers the horrible dream and the feeling of being pricked by the thorns still left a sensation. SHe can still remember vivdly the dream that made her frozen in fear. It started out waking up in a meadow.

* * *

 _Blurry lights slipped passed her eyelids as she let out a yawn._

 _Agatha awoke to a beautiful site._

 _She was sitting near the edge of the river bank where the clear water have wide variety of fishes swimming around._

 _The grass was wet with dew as her pale palm softly touches it. She looked around in wonder. The crystal blue sky turned to the bright colors of red and orange as the sun sets._

" _Is this…a dream?" She said softly._

 _It was after supper that she head first to her room and lay her head on the bed to catch a quick nap._

" _I must have doze off too soon."_

 _Trying to take the full view of her area, all she could see were trees far beyond the river. The trees reminded her of the ones in the Blue forests but the color was light green not blue. She could hear laughter across the river and strange as it is, the kids playing at the side were staring at her like she was an interesting toy._

 _That irked her a bit._

 _Agatha concluded that whatever dream-scape she's in made her feel woozy and uneasy. Sitting down on the grassy field, she felt something small in her right hand._

 _She brought it up to her face. It was a match stick but the bud was black._

 _Since when did she get a hold of a matchstick? Agatha flicked the lit match into the water._

" _Aggie! Are you listening to me?"_

 _Agatha jolted and turned to her left side, surprised by the sudden voice._

 _Appeared out of nowhere, a blonde girl was sitting beside her, eating what it seems to be cucumbers dipped in honey._

 _She can't distinguish her blurry face but her entire outfit was pink._

 _Lots of pink._

 _Even the flowers around her were pink. The fact that deep inside, her mind is telling her that she knew the blonde in front of her but where and how?_

" _Earth to Agatha. Hello?" the sound of her voice gave her an impression of a pout._

" _Uh! Yeah, what's up?" Agatha answered._

 _The mystery girl huffed and crossed her arms, "You're lucky that someone would come to see you when no one else will. To have ME as your friend is a blessing, to have such a good person by your side."_

 _Somehow or in some way that made her mad as she stood up, towering over the mysterious blonde girl._

" _I knew it!" Agatha flared at the girl's face, "I'm your Good deed! Just a pawn in your stupid fantasy!"_

 _Good deed? What on earth is she spewing such non sense?_

 _The blonde didn't say anything for a long time, staring at the ripples of the river where two strange looking fishes look up at them. One is white with a black circle on its forehead while the other is opposite of the other one's colors. Like Ying and Yang._

" _Well?" Agatha demanded._

 _Finally, she turned towards Agatha and stood up while puffing out the daisies from her pink dress. She gazed up at her and said, "Maybe….maybe I became your friend just to impress him."_

" _Impress who?"_

 _Her question was ignored by the mysterious girl's silence._

" _But there's more to it now."_

 _She grabbed Agatha's hands with her delicate soft ones, lowering her head above them._

 _Agatha felt droplets of water on her hands. She looked up at the sky and not a rain cloud in sight. Until she gave the girl a glance, two streaks of tears running down from her hidden eyes down to her pale pink cheeks. Why was the blonde crying?_

" _No one understands me here, Aggie," she said, looking at their hands, "But you do. You see who I am. That's why I kept coming back. You're not my Good deed anymore. You're my friend."_

 _Her words, no longer filled with spite but concern and love, made Agatha blush a little, watching the blonde's shoulders shaking. This whole situation confused Agatha even more. She no longer felt angry with the blonde._

 _Did she know this girl before her amnesia? If so, she could finally get her answers. Maybe she'll finally know what landed her on the forest and dragged to school in the middle of nowhere by a stranger._

" _Because…I…I…."_

 _There are so many questions swirling inside Agatha's mind, her mouth parted a little to ask the girl desperately._

 _Thunder banged and rattled across the sky._

 _All of a sudden, a lightning struck down in the middle of the river, scaring the life out of Agatha as she turned towards it while letting go of the girl's hands._

 _The river's sunsets hues faded to a dark murky color, the two fishes swam around sporadically, their colors faded to grey and a pale long arm sprung out from the waters while holding a sword above. A silver sword glinted from the sunset's rays._

 _The ripples turned into blobs of monsters, in different shape and sizes, herded towards where the sword was. One attacked the arm while others swam towards the fallen sword, down to the depths of the murky waters. The horrific scene snapped Agatha's mind into action._

" _We need to move. Now!"_

 _Agatha tried run away from the area but she can't move an inch. Her whole body froze as thorny vines crawled all over her, tearing the fabric of her coat. Desperate to get out of the vines, Agatha looked up at the blonde._

" _Hey! Why are you just standing ther-" Her voice caught in her throat, non-believing at what she is now witnessing._

 _The blonde's skin started to wrinkle like curdling milk, mottling with liver spots. Her once golden lush hair fell out in clumps, her back swelled to a hump, and her legs spindled to bony sticks. Her pink frilly dress turned dark and dirty, riddle with holes._

 _Bold and grotesque, nose pointed with a single huge wart and her eyes dark as the endless void veered to Agatha._

" _ **You're mine, Aggie."**_

 _The girl turned witch, teeth blackened smiling ear to ear._

 _The ground started shaking violently and the location, the scenery, change to the dark green foggy forests while the monsters remain hidden behind each dark tree continuing their repetitive chants. Soon droplets of blood falls visibly from the sky, painting the ground red._

 _All the monsters from the river started chanting._

" _The Tower! The Tower! The Tower!"_

 _The old hag raised her arm and Agatha saw it marred with gruesome black warts caressing her cheek._

"… _ **and there's no turning back."**_

 _Agatha felt horror strangle her heart as the witch threw her head back and unleashed a horrible cackle that promised Evil._

 _The vines started to prick into Agatha's skin with their thorns, tighter and tighter till it was hard for her to breath. A familiar bricked silver tower emerged from the ground behind the witch, surrounded by dark heavy mist making it more sinister._

 _One by one, each blob monster lay their glowing eyes on Agatha and pain screamed through her body…the sensation of boiling red rain…the prickle of thorns…a taste of blood…_

 _Her body seized but her mind brought back to her senses._

 _WAKE UP!_

* * *

Then a thought popped in her mind.

What if…the dream is not what it seems but giving her a clue instead? What if..the Headmaster is the one who holds all the answers. _I mean he is the one in charge of the school. He must have the information about my origin._

Agatha mulled every possible way to get to the tower.

The halfway bridge is one of them but the wolf guards were loitering around with their crossbows. The moats is infested with reptilian monsters and takes a lot of skill to swim across without alarming them.

 _There has to be a way to get up there without any of them seeing me._

Just as she was about to give up, she spotted something that caught her eye. Right behind the silver tower, log fences as tall as the pine trees set up as a barrier between the clearing and the lakes.

The fences were a few meters away from the tower by waters and the moon's light shone over the front portion, casting a shadow from behind, the perfect entry route.

 _The climbing part may be a challenge but they'll never see it coming._

Once the moon reaches its full phase and along with her dark clothing, she will perfectly blend well in the shadows.

It's a brilliant plan. But first, she'll have a little scouting to do.

She wore her black coat over her black rags and advance to the door, trying not to make too much noise as she steps.

With the wolf guards doing the curfew inspections from the second floors up, Agatha might be able to sneak around them to the Tunnel of Trees.

With a slight crack of light entered the shadow den, the black haired girl exited the room as a pair of red eyes stare at the retreating form from under the pillow before the door closes to darkness.

~SGE~SGE~SGE~

A few minutes after eleven o'clock, the out-of-tune chimes resonated over the grey bricked hallway to where famous portraits of legendary villains decorated the cracked walls.

Soft steps were heard in the darkness and a small figure appeared.

Turning to the corner into a wider corridor, Agatha saw a sleeping Wolf guard slumped with his back on the wall, snoring so quietly for a beast. His hulking body was blocking the entrance to the tunnel of trees. Her teeth clenched with hope to not wake the guard as she inched towards his way.

Carefully lifting her leg over the furry legs and another until she walked two steps forward when a loud snort stunned her in place. She turned slightly to the guard, hesitating to take another step but the guard just rolled over to his left and snored again.

Agatha huffed a sigh of relief and continued walking down the path to the Clearing. The wind suddenly swept through her hair and azure crisp leaves flickered over the entrance. The area is much more tranquil in the night.

She started walking towards the log fences, passing through night flowers, bushes and trees. From afar, the wooden barriers looks so small from her window but close and personal, their as tall and massive as elm trees.

Agatha touched the wooden barrier, the felt of smooth wood with wrinkle designs and with both hands flat on it, she started pushed with force but they won't budge.

She tried to dig the base with her bare hands yet she still see the thick wooden pole, buried deep beneath. Frustrated, she kicked the log and swallowed a yelp of pain while holding her throbbing foot.

Agatha screamed silently, nursing her poor foot when she noticed a glimmer of water from the far right. Eyes squinted and as she got closer, there was a triangular hole between two log fences, big enough to fit her size.

Crouching down to the rotten hole, she can see the two lakes apart. If she timed it right, Agatha can move easily through the shallow water and arrive on the small shore where the base of the tower is.

 _Okay…I can do this…_ Breeming with confidence _,_ she crawled through the hole as her arms sank halfway to the water.

Suddenly the water around her arms rippled from the small wave and a sound of something splashing made her blood run cold.

She lurched back quickly to the hole without looking away as she spotted a thin, rectangular snout along with the white scaled spine emerging from the moat. Its sharp red eyes darted from left to right before it dive back to the murky waters.

There goes her courage. _That was too close_. It could have seen her if it wasn't for the shadow from the tower. But now, peering at the School Master's fortress, all hope was lost.

She was tired, cold and dirty. Agatha yawned and rubbed out the bits from her eyes.

"Have to find another way in."

 **THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP**

Sounds of heavy footsteps froze her on the spot, unable to the next step. The only ones who can make such a sound like a punch in a fight are the wolf guards. It's further proven that it came from the wolves as sounds of keys clanging together were heard from the tunnel. She didn't expect the guards to finish their patrol and now she's frantically looking around for a place to hide.

Then suddenly, a hand covered her mouth and an arm snake around her waist from behind. Panicked, Agatha's scream was muffled by the hand while clawing at the offended arms and kicking in the air to throw off the momentum.

But the arms were firmed and strong as she was pulled back to the bushes, disappeared among the nature foliage.

~SGE~End of Chapter~SGE~

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 **Author's Note:** This has been long everyone for the delay of uploading a chapter. I know that it's a short chapter but hopefully this will be a weekly update. Thank you all again for your loving support and reviews! Adieu~


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